The giant oceanic manta ray is the largest species of ray in the world, found in tropical and temperate waters across the globe, with a wingspan that can reach up to seven metres across, giving it one of the greatest wing spans of any fish. It has a broad, flattened, diamond-shaped body, two forward-projecting cephalic fins used to funnel plankton toward its wide mouth, and a long, whip-like tail lacking the venomous barb carried by many of its stingray relatives. Manta rays are filter feeders, swimming with mouths open through concentrations of zooplankton and small fish, and they are known for spectacular aerial breaches, leaping fully out of the water, along with a very large brain-to-body ratio and behaviors, such as apparent self-recognition in mirror tests, that suggest unusually high intelligence among fish. Slow to reproduce, typically producing only a single pup every few years, the species is classified as vulnerable due to targeted fishing for its gill plates, used in some traditional medicine markets, as well as accidental capture in fishing gear.
Facts
Classification
Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status (w-bfill-g5-0924 browse backfill). Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceThe colouring of the dorsal (upper) surface is black, dark brown, or steely blue, sometimes with a few pale spots and usually with a pale edge. The ventral surface is white, sometimes with dark spots and blotches. 1 Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Giant Oceanic Manta Ray (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem
Source World Wildlife Fund
Source World Wildlife Fund
Sources
1. Giant Oceanic Manta Ray (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, Giant oceanic manta ray, lead sentence
The giant oceanic manta ray, giant manta ray, oceanic manta ray, or pelagic manta ray (Mobula birostris) is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae and the largest type of ray in the world.
Wikipedia infobox, Giant oceanic manta ray, conservation status field
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Wikipedia, Giant oceanic manta ray, Description section
The colouring of the dorsal (upper) surface is black, dark brown, or steely blue, sometimes with a few pale spots and usually with a pale edge. The ventral surface is white, sometimes with dark spots and blotches.
Child Taxon Of: Chondrichthyes, Wikipedia infobox, Giant oceanic manta ray, scientific classification table
Class: Chondrichthyes
View the Source World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund- In Ecosystem: Coral Triangle
- In Ecosystem: Raja Ampat
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