Manta birostris
Giant Manta Ray | Chevron Manta Ray | Devilfish | Devilray | Manta Ray | Oceanic Manta Ray | Pelagic Manta Ray | Sea-Devil | Manta hamiltoni
Similar Species
Same Genus
Distribution
Temperate Africa, Temperate Australasia, Temperate South America, Temperate northern Atlantic, Temperate northern Pacific, Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Prominent flattened flaps extending out from sides of mouth, relatively short tail, and white belly, often with black blotches. Differs from recently described M. alfredi in lacking black spots in the middle of the underside between the rows of gill slits; has more distinct I shaped marks on shoulders and has a lump at the base of the tail just behind the dorsal fin. Moves continuously, feeding on plankton.
Information
Max Size: 910 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 21.1-31.6°C
Depth: 1-120m
Habitat Generalization Index: 1.56
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Occurrence: Rare (1.0% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Few (2 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: extract from RD Stuart-Smith, GJ Edgar, AJ Green, IV Shaw. 2015. Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland