Species · GBIF taxon 9548142
Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostrisAlso known as Giant Manta Ray, Oceanic Manta Ray, Pelagic Manta Ray
Giant oceanic manta rays glide gracefully through the open ocean, using their massive pectoral fins like wings to fly through the water column. These gentle giants possess the largest brain-to-body ratio of any cold-blooded fish, which supports complex social behaviors and curiosity toward divers. They migrate vast distances across global oceans, visiting specialized cleaning stations along deep reefs to have parasites removed by smaller fish.
PelagicFilter FeederDeep Diver
Licensed reference(c) Stevelaycock21, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Zooplankton, krill, and small fish
- family
- Myliobatidae
- threats
- Targeted fishing, bycatch in gillnets, and marine debris
- life Span
- Up to 40 years
EN
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Listed as Endangered due to severe population declines driven by unsustainable fishing for their gill plates.
Support marine sanctuaries, avoid purchasing manta products, and practice passive interaction when diving.- Maintain Distance: Avoid swimming directly above or below the ray to prevent blocking its path.
- Do Not Touch: Touching can damage the protective mucus layer on their skin.
- Stay Still: Let the ray approach you out of curiosity rather than chasing it.