Manta Ray

Manta rays are considered as ray fish, they are classified as marine animals. Manta rays are sometimes more commonly known as devil rays. Mantaray fish belongs to the genus Mobula, the taxonomic classification of this fish has changed over the years. The formerly known genus of the manta ray fish is the genus Manta. The genus primarily consisted of the ray fish; this taxonomic classification has now been updated. The manta ray fish varies in size depending upon the species. The article focuses on the general description of the morphology of manta ray fish, what is the habitat and distribution of the manta ray fish, taxonomic classification, the life cycle, and threats of the manta fish.

What is a Manta Ray Fish?

Manta ray meaning or manta fish can be described as a marine animal, they are also referred to as devil ray fish. The common name given to manta ray is because of its specific physical characteristics, the manta ray has cephalic fins, the structure of these cephalic appendages is similar to the horn, thus giving them a scary shape. The horns are generally associated with evil in various mythology thus the manta ray is more commonly known as devil ray fish.

Manta fish belongs to the genus called Mobula, according to its updated taxonomic classification. Many species of the manta ray fish have stings protruding out from the body, stings are the modification on the spine that protrudes out of the body as a pointy appendage. The size of manta ray varies from species to species, the smallest manta ray is only about 60 cm which is approximately 2 feet. The manta fish belongs to the species called  Mobula diabolis. There are certain manta fishes that are very large, one such giant manta ray is the Atlantic manta which can grow up to 7 meters that are approximately 23 feet. The giant manta ray belongs to the species named Manta birostris. The manta ray fish of this species is more commonly known as the devils’ manta ray fish. 

Taxonomic Classification of the Manta Ray

Manta rays are classified as marine animals, the taxonomic classification of the animal helps us have a clear understanding of the evolutionary history and evolutionary relationship with other animals, moreover, this taxonomic classification helps us to understand the position of the animal in the food chain. The taxonomic classification of the manta ray is described below.

Manta fish are classified under the kingdom Animalia, they are further classified in phyla, manta ray fish are classified under the phylum called Chordata, the Chordata are specialized phylum, that contains the animals that have a vertebral column, the vertebral column is commonly known as the spine. The phylum is further divided into the class, manta ray fish is classified under the class called Chondrichthyes. 

The specialty of this class Chondrichthyes is that all the members have a cartilage based skeletal system, the bones of the body are replaced by the cartilage. It is important to note that the members of this class do not have bone marrow, the red blood cell (RBC) is generally produced in the spleen and epigonal organ. Epigonal organs can be described as the tissues that surround the gonads, these organs are believed to play an important role in the immunity of the body.

After the class the Manta ray is classified into super order named batoids, this superorder is generally named as rays, the members of this order are closely related to the sharks.  Giant manta ray belongs to the superorder batoids. The superorder is further classified into order. It consists of four orders, the order that manta ray belongs to is known as  Myliobatiformes. The Myliobatiformes order is defined as monophyletic order, the order is evolutionary more related to the sharks, all the members of this order (manta ray, stingray) are closely related to sharks and flattened skates.

Manta ray is further classified into Family, the family is known as Mobulidae, the family is further classified into genus and species, the family Mobulidae consists of rays and stingrays that are an inhabitant of the sea surface rather than the deep sea bottom. The manta ray belongs to the genus called Manta. The most common example of the species classified under the Manta genus is Cephalopterus manta, this species is commonly known as the giant manta ray. There are various species under the genus Maanta, examples of some of the species are mentioned here, Manta alfredi, Manta birostris, Manta hynei.

Habitat and Distribution

Manta rays are found in a wide variety of geographical regions, they are generally seen in the open sea. Since the fish is classified under the family  Mobulidae, the characteristic feature of which is to reside in the sea surface on minimal depth rather than the bottom of the sea. The Manta ray is also found at the surface. The habitat of the manta fish includes tropical regions, temperate regions,  subtropical areas. They have generally seen breaching, breaching is the phenomenon of the appearance of the animal on the surface, the reason for breaching is still unknown.

The distribution of Manta rays includes various open oceans and seas, the recorded farthest range includes the areas of Carolina and New Zealand. The manta fish prefers warm waters as compared to the cold water of the depth of sea and ocean. The optimal temperature is above 68 °F which when converted to celsius is 20 °C. These fish do not travel far from the equator although they are rarely seen in the temperate zone. The manta ray fish are seen to reside in depths of about 1,000 m which is approximately 3,300 ft. 

These fishes are considered as pelagic fish, which can be described as fishes that reside in the pelagic zone, which is neither too close to the shore top near the bottom of the sea. There are patterns of seasonal migration observed in the fish. They tend to reside near the shore or in coastal areas during the spring, they remain in the coastal region till the offset of fall. During winters the manta fish tends to move back into the sea depths. 

Morphological Features

The appearance and characteristic features are most common to all the species belonging to the genus Manta. The size of the manta ray changes from species to species. The characteristic feature of the horn shaped cephalic fins is common to all the species of the manta rays. Due to this cephalic fins modification, the fish is also termed as devil ray fish. 

Manta rays have a broad head and the fins are triangular in shape. There are three types of fins, the pectoral fins, and the cephalic fins. The pectoral fins are defined as the fins that are present on the side of the body, these fins are of the triangle shape. The pectoral fins are mainly responsible for swimming. The cephalic fins however are present at the head or specifically at the sides of the frontal part of the body. The function of cephalic fins is important in filter feeding. The cephalic fins are of horn shape. The dorsal fins are present at the end of the body, they are comparatively smaller.

The body of the manta ray fish is horizontally flattened, the gills are a common structure present in all fishes. The gill slits are present on the ventral surface of the body. The tail of the manat fish lacks skeletal organization. The tail of the manta ray fish is very short compared to the disc shape of the body. The giant Manta ray can weigh up to  1,350 kg. The Manta rays are also characterized as creatures with a flattened body, thus they can have large body mass which will increase the width of the body, not the height. The width of the body is generally seen as two times greater than the length of the body. 

The dorsal side of the body is generally dark in color, usually dark black or brown. The ventral side of the body is pale, the color of the ventral side is usually pale white, they have specific markings on the ventral side of the body. These markings differ from species to species, thus they are used as morphological markers for species identification. The body of the manta ray fish is covered with mucous secretion. The mucus secreted to protect the body from the ectoparasites.

The brain-to-body mass ratio of these animals is very high. The manta fishes are believed to have the largest brain among the fishes. The brain has a particular section called retia mirabilia, this section of the brain helps to main the temperature of the body. That is the retia mirabilia serves as the center of thermoregulation. Another interesting fact about Manta ray is that they need to swim continuously to maintain the level of oxygen in their body. This can be attributed to the fact that the spiracles, which can be defined as the opening of the body surface that serves as the respiratory system, are a vestigial organ in the manta ray fish species. 

Reproduction

Mating in these fishes is an internal process. The mating or courtship behavior is not well studied among these species. The mating takes place at a different time of the year. The mating is performed by the dominant male. The male grabs the female manta ray through their mouth. The general site of this attachment is the pectoral fins. Once the contact is maintained, the male member of the species inserts their claspers into her cloaca. The claspers can be defined as the male reproductive appendage, these are common in many vertebrates. The cloaca is a common opening of the reproductive tract, digestive tract, and urinary tract. This structure is also commonly found in various lower vertebrates. The claspers develop a tube shaped structure inside the female body, the sperm along with the secretion of seminal vesicles travels into the cloaca of the female body. Fertilization is thus termed as internal fertilization.

Upon successful mating, the sperm and the egg fertilized to form the zygote, the development of the zygote takes place inside the female body. The gestation period of the fetus ranges from about 372 days. The females give birth to live pups. The newborn manta ray is provided with enough parental care, to protect them from predators and natural hazards. One of the recorded documentation of the morphology and weight of the pup during birth was as follows, the pup had a width of 192 cm (76 in) and weight of 70 kg (150 lb).

Behavior

Manta ray meaning is described as a sea animal that is generally found on pelagic surfaces, the manta ray has a diverse behavioral pattern across the species. The behavior of one species differs from the other. Manta ray fish are found in both groups as well as solitary animals. They usually travel in a straight line. The group of manta ray consists of the mother and the newly born manta ray. The group organization is subjected to protection and care by the other members of the group. The manta arrays are also seen forming associations with the members of other species. 

One of the unexplained behaviors seen in manta ray is breaching, which can be defined as the periodic appearance of the fish on the surface of the water. The manta rays are generally not considered violent marine creatures. Manta are considered as filter feeders, they are also believed to have the largest brain among the fishers. One of the studies revealed that manta ray fish have self awareness.

Diet of Manta Fish

The diet of manta fish includes zooplanktons. According to manta ray meaning, the animal is considered as a filter-feeder. That can be defined as the ability of an animal to feed in bulk. The cephalic fins of the manta fish help in directing the food particles that are floating towards the buccal cavity of the fish. The manta fish are also macro predators. Macropredatory are the animals that prey on smaller animals, in this case the manta fish feeds on smaller fish. The diet of manta fish includes zooplankton, copepods, mysid shrimp, crab larva, mollusk larvae, and fish eggs.

Predator of Manta Ray

The predator of manta ray includes the following, tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), the great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), the bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), and the killer whale (Orcinus orca), and some species of dolphins are able to hunt the manta ray. The giant manta ray is generally more difficult to hunt because of its huge size. 

Manta Ray vs Devil Ray

The comparison between manta ray vs devil ray is often confusing because of the nomenclature. The devil ray is a common name given to large manta rays because of their shape of cephalic fins. The manta ray vs devil ray mentioned here is the comparison between the manta fish and the spined devil ray.

Comparison Between the Manta Fish and the Spined Devil Ray

Conservation

Manta rays are classified as threatened animals, they are specifically classified as vulnerable animals in the list of threatened animals. There are various initiatives that take place to protect these animals. Manta rays are subject to other human impacts. Because mantas must swim constantly to flush oxygen-rich water over their gills, they are vulnerable to entanglement and subsequent suffocation. Among various reasons, some of the main reasons that serve as a threat to survival include climate change, pollution, ingestion of microplastics,  tourism, and pollution from oil spills. Manta ray fish is also the flagship member for the conservation of marine life.

Conclusion

The manta ray fish is defined as a marine creature, they are classified as vulnerable species. The characteristic feature of the animal is the presence of cephalic fins, which gives their nickname as devil ray. The size of the manta fish varies according to the species. The giant manta ray belongs to the species named Manta birostris. The fish can range up to the height of 23 feet. There are also smaller manta fish. The manta ray is an inhabitant of the pelagic region, they primarily feed on zooplanktons. Reproduction is an internal process with a gestation period of 12 to 13 months. The female gives birth to young pups. There are only a few natural predators of the species including killer whales, sharks, and some dolphins.