In the wild, females bear on average only a single pup every two to three years. Monitoring and regulation of the exploitation and trade of both manta ray species is urgently needed, as well as protection of key habitats.Īnother factor which adds to the vulnerability of the Manta ray is its low reproductive rate. Products from manta rays have a high value in international markets, and targeted fisheries hunt them for their valuable gill rakers used in traditional Chinese medicine. Mantas migrate vast distances, crossing international boundaries, in search of food. Both of these species have been classified as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Now though, researchers have observed that there are actually two: the Reef Manta Ray ( Manta alfredi) and the Giant Manta Ray ( Manta birostris). Until recently people believed there was only one species of Manta Ray: Manta birostris. Photo by Vovo Korth Vulnerable in Spite of their Size However, Mantasīoth collaborate when feeding and follow the plankton, so Manta rays sometimes leap out of the water, falling back Filtering your food out of the oceansĭoesn't take much energy, which is why Manta rays can be Occur near the surface of the seas, that's where MantasĪre also found. Head fins to direct plankton into theur mouths. Water with steady sweeps of their giant wings.Ĭompletely harmless filter-feeders, Manta rays use their Waters around the world, gracefully flying through the “They’re smart, almost like the dolphins of fish,” says Setyawan.Awesome to see underwater, the Giant Manta Ray is an enormousįish spanning nearly 7 m (22 feet). Some are ready and willing to show off their bellies and identify themselves, while others swim in the other direction. Some are shy and some are more extroverted. His team can tell them apart from the unique spot patterns on their bellies. Manta rays’ large brain-to-body ratio allows them to have individual personalities, says Setyawan. His findings were published in May 2022 in Frontiers in Marine Science. “It took eight years of research to prove we had found it,” he says. In this protected environment, the babies are birthed and live until large enough to survive elsewhere. Setyawan says he and his colleagues have found the world’s first confirmed manta ray nursery in Raja Ampat. Scientists think that the animals give birth in manta ray nurseries, where most of the mantas living there are pups. Manta moms give birth to around one live pup every two to three years, and then she sets them on their way. Manta ray filter feeding above a coral reef in the blue Komodo waters (Credit: Kjersti Joergensen/Shutterstock) “It’s the best place to interact with mantas,” he says. In the morning or afternoon, for example, they regularly find their spot on the coral reef and enjoy what basically amounts to a marine spa treatment.Īs the tiny fish and crustaceans clean the rays, Setyawan bears witness to a sea creature in its element. Much of his observations occur in what are called “cleaning stations.” Manta rays often hover over coral reefs while cleaner fish, like the wrasse fish and the scarlet cleaner shrimp, remove parasites, dead skin cells and bacteria from the rays’ skin.Īlthough manta rays tend to fly solo, they’re known to gather at such cleaning sites during certain times of the day. It’s a slow-growing, long-lived species that has been shown in some cases to live up to 60 years, says Setyawan. The giant manta ray is the largest ray in the ocean, with a wingspan of up to 30 feet. Underwater view of Giant oceanic manta ray in tropical Nusa Penida island, Indonesia (Credit: Denis Moskvinov/Shutterstock)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |