Manta Ray

 

Manta Ray | The Manta ray is the largest species of rays in the family Myliobatidae. It varies very waters of the world, typically around coral reefs. Manta rays are strong pelagic swimmers, possibly capable of open ocean to the stabbing, and so often one or more hosts or clinging remora sucker fish. Remoras their first dorsal fin modified into a sucking disk. While not directly harm their hosts remoras (apart from sore skin, which is connected), manta rays do use more energy when swimming with them. There are few places more awe inspiring for divers than watching manta rays performing their graceful somersaults. These beautiful animals are often seen feeding alone or in small groups near the surface at Thailand dive sites such as Koh Bon, Komodo in Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar in Blackrock, Kadavu in Fiji, and other near shore waters with coral rocky reefs and scuba.

Scientific classification
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:     Chordata
Class:     Chondrichthyes
Subclass:     Elasmobranchii
Order:     Myliobatiformes
Family:     Myliobatidae
Genus:     Manta, Bancroft, 1829
Species:     M. birostris
The graceful Manta ray is a wonderful member of the devil ray family, if only because of the enormity. These large rays have a characteristic shape of the body with triangular pectoral "wings" and paddle-like lobes extending their mouths. They are generally dark on the upper surface, ranging from black to gray-blue and brown, with pale undersides, individuals have a unique pattern of spots and scars that can be used to identify them. The large, hollow mouth is situated at the front of the body and contains 18 rows of teeth on the jaw. There are also regional differences in color patterns Manta ray. For example, specimens from the eastern Pacific often feature dark to mostly black under surfaces, while those of the western Pacific are typically snow white underneath.

Manta rays regularly visit reef-side cleaning stations to cleaner wrasse remove parasites from the skin and gill cavities, sometimes more in line for their turn to wait. Seemingly inquisitive, Manta rays can sometimes approach and even the attention of the divers, apparently enjoying the tactile stimulation provided by human contact, and the bubbles of scuba units. In areas frequented by divers, but they are often very wary and not to approach. Manta rays are bottom feeders and filter feeders. Manta rays feed on plankton, fish larvae and the like that they stem from the water through their mouths and out their gills as they swim. They catch their prey on the gill Rakers, flat plates of red-brown spongy tissue around the space between the Manta ray's gill bars.

Individuals swimming in slow vertical loops during feeding, possibly in an attempt to concentrate prey. The fleshy protrusions on either side of the mouth funnel prey too, when not feeding, these lobes are rolled or closed or the mouth. Manta rays are often host to remoras, Which attaches to the underside of larger ones and consume food that falls from the mouth. Manta rays are generally solitary, although loose aggregations of individuals may occur if abundant food sources during the breeding season. If you are ready to mate, a male Manta ray pectoral bite to his mate belly to belly position for copulation. The developing eggs remain in the body of the female as long as possible for 12 months and hatch internally, so she gives birth to live young. The average litter size is two puppies, and there is often a two years between births.

Manta rays have been traditionally harvested for their oil-rich livers and for their skin, which were used as abrasives, these practices focused on eastern Australia and the Gulf of California. The small litter size, and annual intervals between births means that the populations are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and in the 1990 fishing in the Philippines and Mexico decimated the local population. These ocean dwellers are also at risk of accidental catches by the fishing industry, although the magnitude of this pressure is not known.