The manta ray is one of the large fish living in the World Ocean. Thanks to the unusual arrangement of the pectoral fins, which form peculiar horns on the head, the name “sea devil fish” was assigned to the manta. But they have nothing “devilish” in their lifestyle and behavior. These are peaceful and calm creatures, as well as those that feed on plankton, filtering it from the water.
In the fish system, manta ray (scientific name Manta birostris) is in the class of cartilaginous fish. It belongs to the order of tail-shaped stingrays (without a poisonous spine on the tail) and the bracken family, within which there is a subfamily of horned stingrays (the second name is manta rays, Mobulidae).
The name staghorn comes from the similarity of the processes located on the head with horns. And the Eagle family probably got its name due to its wide pectoral fins, which resemble the spread wings of an eagle. When an eagle ray swims, it looks like a huge underwater bird, because the movements of its fins resemble the movements of its wings.
Features of the sea devil's lifestyle
The manta ray is found in the waters of all oceans (except the Arctic Ocean). It inhabits marine areas of the tropics and subtropics, and is partially found in the temperate zone. The boundaries of its distribution are 35 degrees north and south of the equator. The lifestyle is pelagic, with some features:
They swim by flapping their large pectoral fins, slightly extended to the sides, like wings.. Being far from the shore, they swim in a straight line at a constant speed; in shallow water they often rest on the water or slowly circle in place.
The manta ray fish is known for its ability to jump high out of the water (up to a height of one and a half meters). When a large individual falls onto the water after a jump, a sound similar to thunder is heard that can be heard for several miles in the area.
Appearance, feeding habits and enemies
The pectoral fins of the devil fish are huge, due to which the shape of the disk (body) looks like an elongated diamond. The distance from the tip of one pectoral fin to the tip of the second is more than 2 times the length of the body of this stingray fish. The maximum recorded span of manta fins is about 9 meters, the average is 4.5 meters.
The manta ray fish has three pairs of limbs that actively function, which is an exception for vertebrates:
- Pelvic fins moved towards the tail.
- A pair of pectoral fins, which the manta flaps like wings when swimming.
- The cephalic fins are the elongated anterior part of the pectoral fins. They are quite long and play an important role in obtaining food.
The head fins of manta rays are usually curled and look like spiral “horns”. They straighten out in order to direct the flow of water along with planktonic organisms directly into the open mouth.
Plankton mining
The devil fish has a huge mouth located on the front of its head. For this position of the mouth is an exception, because in all other representatives of this superorder the mouth opening is located at the bottom. Small teeth in the form of tubercles are located in rows on the lower jaw (the upper edentulous). central part The jaw has 18 rows of teeth; towards the corners of the mouth the number of rows of teeth is reduced to 12.
Based on its feeding method, this giant sea devil is a harmless filter feeder. It has a good apparatus for straining plankton: brownish-pink plates with a spongy structure, located between the gill arches, which retain plankton (crustaceans and small fish). The sea devil fish needs to swim long distances to search for food, following plankton, which does not stand still, but is constantly moving.
Vision and smell are the main senses that help manta rays find food. The feeding process is very interesting:
- At first, this huge fish slowly moves around the accumulation of plankton, driving it into a large pile.
- Then the stingray accelerates and swims quickly with a wide open mouth to the center of this cluster.
- Long head fins, which are curled during normal movement, help direct water along with food into the mouth.
When a very large concentration of planktonic organisms is encountered, the giant sea devil can go into a state of feeding frenzy, as seen in sharks.
Enemies in their natural habitat
At sea, manta rays can be attacked by killer whales and large sharks (sharks, etc.).
How do they reproduce?
Like everything else, the giant sea devil reproduces by ovoviviparity. The fertilized eggs develop in the mother's body, where the offspring hatch, and then the female gives birth to a single baby, ready for independent life.
Manta rays become sexually mature when they reach the age of 5–6 years. The breeding season lasts from December to April. At this time, fish exhibit interesting mating behavior:
- First, one or more males chase the female’s tail for 20–30 minutes and attack her several times.
- Then one of the males, approaching the female, grabs the edge of her pectoral fin with his mouth and turns his partner over with her belly up.
- Then mating occurs: the male’s pterygopodium is inserted into the female’s cloaca. They can remain in this position for one to two minutes.
Manta rays mate in the upper layer of water. One or two males can mate with one female and fertilize her.
Embryo development
Developing in the mother’s body in a special organ similar to the “uterus” of mammals, the embryo initially receives nutrition from the yolk sac. These nutrients is not enough for the full development of the body of a small stingray, so after some time a source of additional nutrients from the mother is connected. Through specialized structures that form in the “uterus,” the embryo begins to receive fluid enriched with fat and protein components.
The manta embryo develops for a very long time (approximately one year).
Young stingrays are very large at birth: the disc reaches more than one meter in width (up to 130 centimeters). Weight can be from 9 to 12 kilograms. A female manta gives birth to one calf (rarely two). This happens in shallow water, where the young ones fatten up over the next few years.
Long-term gestation and the small number of young born are one of the reasons for the vulnerability of this ray and the decline in numbers. This trend has been observed over the past two decades (due to overfishing). Therefore, the giant sea devil has received the status of a “vulnerable species” from the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Manta ray – sea giant , the largest known stingray, and perhaps the most harmless. Due to its size and menacing appearance, there are many legends about it, most of which are fiction.
The size of the manta ray is very impressive, adults reach 2 meters, the fin span is 8 meters, the weight of the fish is up to two tons. But not only the large size gives the fish a menacing appearance; the head fins, in the process of evolution, have become elongated and resemble horns. This may be why they are also called “sea devils,” although the purpose of the “horns” is more peaceful; stingrays use their fins to direct plankton into their mouths. The manta's mouth reaches one meter in diameter. Having decided to eat, the stingray swims with its mouth wide open, and with its fins it pushes water with small fish and plankton into it. The stingray has a filtering apparatus in its mouth, the same as that of a whale shark. Through it, water and plankton are filtered, food is sent to the stomach, and the stingray releases water through the gill slits.
The habitat of manta rays is the tropical waters of all oceans. The back of the fish is painted black, and the belly is snow-white, with an individual number of spots for each individual; thanks to this coloring, it is well camouflaged in the water.
In November they have mating time, and divers observe a very interesting picture. The female swims surrounded by a whole string of “fans”, sometimes their number reaches twelve. Males swim behind the female at high speed, repeating her every movement.
The female carries the cub for 12 months, and gives birth to only one. After this he takes a break for one to two years. It is unknown what explains these breaks; perhaps this time is needed to recuperate. The birth process proceeds unusually, the female quickly releases the baby, rolled up into a roll, then it unfolds its wing fins and swims after the mother. Newborn manta rays weigh up to 10 kilograms and are one meter long.
The manta has a large brain, and the ratio of brain weight to total body weight is much greater than that of other fish. They are smart and very curious, easily tamed. On islands Indian Ocean Divers from all over the world gather to swim with manta rays. They often show their curiosity at the sight of an unknown object on the surface, float up, drift nearby, and observe the events taking place.
In nature, the sea devil has almost no enemies with the exception of carnivorous sharks, and even those attack almost only young animals. Except large sizes The sea devil has no protection from enemies; the stinging spine characteristic of electric stingrays is either absent or present in a residual state and does not pose any threat to anyone.
The meat of the giant stingray is nutritious and tasty; the liver is a special delicacy. In addition, meat is used in Chinese folk medicine. Hunting them is beneficial to poor local fishermen, although it is associated with considerable risk to life. The manta ray is considered a critically endangered species..
There was a belief that manta rays were capable of attacking a person in the water, wrapping their fins around them, dragging them to the bottom and swallowing the victim. IN South-East Asia a meeting with a sea devil was considered a bad sign and promised many misfortunes. Local fishermen, having accidentally caught a cub, immediately released it. This may be why the population with low reproductive rates has survived to this day.
In reality, a manta ray can only harm a person when it descends into the water after jumping out of the water. to his big body may catch a swimmer or boat.
Jumping over water is another amazing feature of giant stingrays. The jump reaches a height of 1.5 meters above the water surface, and then follows a dive with a strong noise caused by the body of a two-ton giant hitting the water. This noise can be heard several kilometers away. But, according to eyewitnesses, the spectacle is magnificent.
Giant stingrays are also beautiful underwater, easily flapping their fins like wings, as if they were floating in the water.
Only the five most large aquariums There are sea devils in the world. And there is even case of the birth of a baby in captivity, in a Japanese aquarium in 2007. This news spread throughout all countries and was shown on television, which testifies to man’s love for these amazing creatures.
Giant freshwater stingray June 17th, 2013
We all know about the manta ray or the largest ray in the world, whose body width can reach 7 meters. But few people have heard about its giant freshwater brothers. They can grow up to 4.6 meters in length and up to 2 meters in width - Giant Freshwater Stingray (Himantura Chaophraya)
The very existence of the giant freshwater stingray is shrouded in mystery. No one still knows exactly how many stingrays live in the tropical rivers of Malaysia, New Guinea, Indonesia and Thailand, in what conditions they live most comfortably, and whether they happen to go out into the open sea, where their closest relatives live.
The habitat of these stingrays are the rivers of Thailand (Mekong, Meklong, Chao Phraya, Tachin, Ban Pakong, Tapi), Indonesia - the Mahakam River basin on the island. Kalimantan, Malaysia - Kinabatangan River in Sabah. They can also be found on the island of Borneo, New Guinea and Australia.
These ancient representatives of the class of cartilaginous fish have hardly changed during their existence. Just like millions of years ago, their brownish-gray body retains a round shape like a huge saucer, a long whip-like tail and a pair of small eyes. They still burrow into the sandy or muddy bottoms of tropical rivers, breathing through holes in their upper bodies. Here they lie in wait for their prey, crabs or shellfish, recognizing their approach by the electrical signals they emit.
The freshwater stingray's body is disc-shaped with a small triangular snout and a long flexible tail. Sometimes the diameter of the disk can reach 2 meters. The weight of this giant is about 450-500 kilograms. The upper side of the stingray is brown in color, and the lower side is white with small gray or brown streaks on the sides. The skin on the “back” feels like sandpaper to the touch.
In the front part of the body there are small eyes, gill covers and a mouth armed with many teeth. On the skin around the nose and mouth on the underside there is a kind of sensory sensor that allows you to detect the magnetic and electric fields of other living beings. This device makes it easier to find food. With the help of a sensor, a stingray can easily detect prey hidden at the bottom of the river or hiding in dark and turbid water.
The freshwater stingray has a terrible weapon in its arsenal - 2 powerful and sharp spikes located on its tail. Each of them has its own purpose. A large internal spine is used to hold the victim. It works on the principle of a harpoon, i.e. The thorn penetrates the victim’s flesh like clockwork, but many jagged edges prevent it from being pulled out. The blow of this stingray's tail is so strong that it can even pierce the bottom of a boat with its large spike. Therefore, no rubber boots or wetsuit will save a diver from his weapon. The length of this spike can reach 38 centimeters.
The stingray swings its tail very skillfully and almost always hits the target. To be fair, it should be said that the stingray does not attack just like that. To do this, he needs to be quite disturbed or grabbed.
The second spike is smaller. Its main purpose is to inject poison, which is very dangerous for humans and can lead to death. The poison looks like thick, dark mucus. It passes through a special groove leading from the poisonous glands.
The stingray's diet consists of fish, shellfish, crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates.
As for the reproduction of these fish, these stingrays are viviparous. The female gives birth to one calf, about 34-35 centimeters long.
And although stingrays do not attack people without reason, ordinary contact with them is not always safe. At the base of the river giant’s tail there is a long (up to forty centimeters) poisonous spike, which easily pierces not only the skin, but also the bones of a person. There are cases when a giant freshwater stingray overturned the boats of its overly persistent pursuers.
A female stingray of unprecedented size was caught in Thailand. In order to drag the sea resident into the boat, it took the efforts of 13 adult men.
A giant stingray was caught in the waters of the Maeklong River. For almost an hour and a half, the fishermen struggled with him, lifting him on board. When they managed to drag the monster into the boat, the researchers were delighted: they were lucky enough to get the largest specimen in history. Its weight was 350 kg, and its dimensions were two by two meters, not counting its three-meter tail.
The giant turned out to be a female, and a pregnant one at that. The lady was treated with care. Specialists working within the framework of the International Union for Conservation of Nature program, which provides for the conservation of endangered fish species, placed it in a pool, where they took DNA samples. After a painless procedure, the mother was released back into the river.
By the way
Giant stingrays are dangerous. From such poison sea monster World famous Australian explorer dies wildlife Steve Irwin. This happened in 2006 off the coast of Australia in the Coral Sea in the Great Barrier Reef area.
The manta ray gained worldwide fame due to its enormous size. In the widest part of the body - from one tip of the fin to the other - it can reach 7 meters. Moreover, its weight is about 2 tons.
Manta rays live in all warm seas and tropical waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, including the Mediterranean Sea.
The manta received its second name, “sea devil,” for its head fins located along the edges of the mouth. While swimming, they curl into a tube and become like horns. These fins are necessary for the stingray to hunt. While swimming, he directs a stream of water rich in plankton and small fish into his mouth.
"Horns" They travel long distances in search of food. Like, which, by the way, is its closest relative, manta rays suck in water and pass it through many gill plates. After filtration, plankton and small fish remain on them. Then the entire catch is sent to the stomach.
Bottom view Manta rays, unlike other rays, spend most of their lives in upper layers open sea. Their swimming is mesmerizing. It can be compared to the soaring flight of a huge bird in the air. The movements of its huge ventral fins are so smooth and proportionate. Sometimes sea devils can be seen lying on the surface of the water.
In the habitats or migrations of these animals, sometimes an incredible spectacle unfolds above the surface of the water - these giants quickly jumping out of the water and a deafening landing with a fountain of splashes. Sometimes the roar from these jumps can be heard several kilometers away. No one can say for sure what the purpose of these jumps is, but there is an assumption that in this way they attract partners or stun schools of small fish.
In these places you need to take some care and not swim close to their flock, as one of them can accidentally fall on a small boat and sink it. This is the only threat that can come from this underwater inhabitant.
One of these cases occurred quite recently - at the end of March this year, when, while on vacation in Florida, a giant stingray jumped onto a small yacht that was rented by a married couple with children and pinned the woman with its entire mass. But everything ended well. The victim escaped with fear and a couple of bruises, and the stingray was released back into the sea.
Previously people They believed that the stingray specifically attacks divers, wrapping them around them with its huge fins, like a cloak, and drags them to the bottom. By the way, it is for this reason that the stingray got its name “manta”, which is translated from Spanish as “cloak”.
Small flock of stingrays 
The discovery of this animal occurred in 1792 and belongs to Johann Julius Walbaum, a German doctor, naturalist, zoologist and taxonomist.
Little is known about the reproduction process of these stingrays. The female brings one cub about 125 cm wide and weighing 10 kg. While he is in the womb, he feeds on her milk. Childbirth occurs very quickly. The baby, one might say, flies out of the mother’s womb, curled up into a tube. Then he spreads his fins and, together with the female, goes on a journey around the world.
These stingrays, despite their size, are quite vulnerable, especially the young ones. They do not have a single serious means of defense against their main enemies - sharks. They rarely attack adults, but they often have to be driven away from the young.
Manta rays are very curious, beautiful and non-aggressive animals, which arouse genuine interest among divers. Many of them dream of swimming next to these underwater inhabitants, and some succeed.
photo: filipmije (on and off)
The animal is not endowed with anything that could be used as protection against sea predators. No huge teeth, no spines, no ability to shock like stingrays do. Manta rays often become victims of other ocean inhabitants. Large sharks especially like to hunt them. If in the middle of the last century people considered the Sea Devil dangerous to humans, now everyone knows that there is no need to be afraid of them.
photo: Tim
The main food of the Sea Devil is plankton, small fish and larvae. Just like whales, manta rays open their mouths wide to swallow their small prey and then filter the water to leave the food in their mouths.
Manta rays are very smart. Their brain size exceeds that of stingrays and sharks. They are easy to tame and are loved by divers. Some tourists specifically go on vacation to the Indian Ocean coast to swim side by side with the Sea Devil. These animals are very curious and, when they see something interesting on the surface of the water, they swim up to it to observe what is happening. Sometimes such excessive curiosity turns out to be destructive for this harmless creature.
photo:Saschj
One of the mantas’ favorite pastimes is jumping over the water to a height of one and a half meters. The landing of the massive animal can be heard for many kilometers. Target similar games is not clear, but perhaps in this way the Sea Devil attracts the attention of the opposite sex or tries to stun small fish, which is included in his diet.
The appearance of Manta cubs is a rare occurrence. The female gives birth to only one baby. His height at birth is a full meter! A little sea devil is born in the form of a curled tube, but, once outside the mother’s womb, it instantly spreads its wings. From this moment on, he begins to “fly” around his mother in circles.
photo: Steve Dunleavy
You can see the Manta ray in aquariums. But there are only five such places in the whole world, because the size of the aquarium for such a massive marine animal must be quite large. It is wonderful that manta rays also reproduce in captivity, because this way they will not become extinct, given that they rarely give birth to their own kind. Breeding Sea Devils in captivity is not easy and time consuming, but it is worth it. One Little Sea Devil was born in an aquarium located in Japan. The event took place in 2007 and was covered on television. Man's love for this animal, responsive to affection, came somewhat late, and now the Manta is considered one of the most unique animals on the planet.