A manta pregnancy can last nearly a year. Giant manta rays have one of the lowest reproductive rates of all cartilaginous fish, giving birth to one pup every two to five years. A group of manta rays is called a squadron. Manta rays are generally solitary throughout their lives, though they do gather for feeding and mating opportunities. Within the National Marine Sanctuary System, we see manta rays in or near Flower Garden Banks, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale, American Samoa, Channel Islands, Florida Keys, Gray’s Reef, and Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuaries. They are commonly seen offshore and near productive coastlines, and they are migratory throughout the year. Mantas are generally found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters worldwide. A full-grown adult manta can eat as much as 60 pounds of food each day, which can equal millions of microscopic plankton! On rare occasions, they will perform barrel rolls while feeding to maximize their prey intake. Food that enters the mouth is filtered by organs called gill rakers before being swallowed whole. Manta rays are passive filter feeders, swimming with their gaping mouths open and filtering plankton and small fish from the water that flows through. In addition to their impressive body size, giant manta rays have the biggest brains of any known fish in the ocean. They are the only vertebrate animals that have three sets of paired appendages: two pectoral fins, two sets of gills, and two lobes that extend from the mouth. Manta rays have two distinct colorations that are determined by genetics and where they live: chevron, a darker black back and white belly, and all black. There are two distinct species of manta recognized by science: the giant manta ray, which is oceanic, and the reef manta, which lives closer to the coast. Their wingspans can reach as many as 29 feet long and they can weigh upwards of 3,600 pounds when fully grown! Females tend to be slightly smaller than males. They have a distinctive, diamond-shaped body with long, wing-like pectoral fins, ventrally located gill slits, and characteristically wide mouths that have a lobe on each side that help channel water in. Manta rays are members of the cartilaginous fish family and the largest species of ray in the entire world. For centuries, mantas have captured the human imagination, making their way into cultural lore and traditions. Manta rays ( Mobula birostris ) are majestic, mysterious, and one of the largest fishes in the world’s ocean. These species can also be identified in the Churaumi App (Scannable AI Encyclopaedia) along with further descriptions.A manta ray glides through Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. We hope you take the opportunity to experience this rare sight of different species of Mobula swimming leisurely in the tank at the same time. Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world where you can observe these species of Mobula at the same time. These include the Alfred mantas (reaching 4 meters in width), black variants of the Alfred manta (commonly known as black manta), and smoothtail devil rays ( Mobula thrustoni) the smallest species in Japan (reaching 2 meters in width). Along with the giant manta other species from the genus Mobula are living in the Kuroshio Sea. After carefully monitoring its health, and having observed it feeding well and habituated to its new environment, we have decided to continue the exhibition. On the 30th May 2020, the giant manta was returned to the Kuroshio Tank. Due to health concerns that giant manta was moved to the aquarium’s offshore ocean-pen in Motobu, to monitor its health. The giant manta on display is the same individual that was exhibited in The Kuroshio Sea tank from 15th November 2018 to 9th February 2019. *Exhibit may close depending on the condition of the animals. “The Kuroshio Sea” main tank of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Size of Exhibit There is limited knowledge about its ecology and reproduction. The giant manta is a pelagic species and is not usually found near the coast of Okinawa. The two species differ in the skin color around their mouths, the patterns on their backs, and the arrangement of teeth and scales. Previously the giant manta and Alfred manta were thought to be same species, but in 2009, they were recognized as separate species. Along with the two manta species, there are 9 other species in the genus Mobula. The giant manta and the Alfred manta are part of the genus Mobula. An adult giant manta can reach 6 meters in width. The giant manta is the world’s largest species of ray.
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