Reef Manta Ray

Rays and Skates

Mobula alfredi

Max Size

Disc Width 5.5 metres

Detail Information

One of the largest ray species, inhabiting warm-water reefs

Diamond-shaped body

Reef manta rays have a broad diamond-shaped body with a dark upper surface and a white underside. Their wingspan or disc width averages between 3 and 3.5 metres. They also have pale grey V-shaped lines on their backs and spot patterns on their underside that distinguish them from similar species.

Life in productive waters

Reef manta rays are known to inhabit reefs and atolls in tropical or subtropical waters that support high biodiversity. Their main food sources, including plankton and fish eggs, are abundant in these areas.

Reef manta rays swim with their mouths wide open to filter plankton from the water. While doing so, they extend their cephalic fins to funnel water into their mouths and use specialized gill rakers to trap the plankton.

During the day, reef manta rays can often be seen gliding near cleaning stations, where smaller fish and shrimps remove parasites from their bodies.

Cyclone feeding

Reef manta rays sometimes display a remarkable feeding behavior known as cyclone feeding, where dozens to hundreds of individuals swim in a spiral formation around dense patches of plankton, allowing them to feed more efficiently.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Myliobatiformes (stingrays and relatives)
Family: Mobulidae (devil rays and manta rays)
Species: Mobula alfredi

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Similar Species

Spinetail Devil Ray

(Mobula mobular)

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Chondrichthyes

Subclass Elasmobranchii

Order Myliobatiformes (stingrays and related rays)

Family Mobulidae

Species Mobula mobular

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