In fact, the only thing that creates a distinction of three tiny differences: their coloration, their habitat, and, you guessed it, their size. While scientists used to believe there were only one species of manta ray, they’ve now discovered that there are two: the giant manta ray and the reef manta ray.Īt a first glance, it may not seem like these two sea creatures have too many differences. After all, could you imagine riding on the back of a stingray? Probably not, but after reading this, you may just see yourself swimming through the ocean on the back of these gentle giants of the deep! Manta Ray Size Manta rays get the nickname “devil fish” for their two large horns. While related to the manta ray, their size doesn’t even come close to their large ocean cousins. If you live by the coast or have visited an aquarium, you may be familiar with stingrays. However, do you know just how big these devil fish really are? When you see this manta ray size comparison, it might just surprise you. The picture below shows the pelagic manta ray with a lot of black coloring around the eye and the inside of the cephalic fin versus the reef mantas which is all white on those areas.The 5 Healthiest Vegetables Dogs Can Eat… Manta rays are one of the biggest cold-blooded fish!Īs the largest ray and one of the largest fish in the sea, it’s no surprise that the manta ray is big. You might run into a “Black Ray” here is an awesome example of one filmed by Justin Summers. Pelagic mantas have a darker black-greyish topside with more dark on their underside and on the cephalic fins than reef mantas do. Difference #3: Manta Ray Colors and Patterns You are super lucky if you encounter an oceanic manta I’ve been diving and snorkeling around the coasts of Hawaii for over 25 years now and I’ve seen plenty of reef mantas, but only a handful of pelagic ones.īoth types of manta rays live in the tropical and subtropical, although pelagic mantas might also be found in moderate waters. “Pelagic” means that the fish lives neither close to the bottom nor near the shore, although sometimes giant manta rays do also swim inshore. Although they’re seen more often at night around the manta ray viewing sites, where they come to feed. Along the Kona Coast, the reef is right along the shoreline which makes sightings a frequent event, both at night and during the daytime. Difference #2: Their Habitat and DistributionĪs its name already gives away, the common habitat for the manta ray is the reef. However, as they roam the deeper “pelagic” zones of the ocean, we don’t see them as often during our moonlight swim adventures. However, a large manta ray like Big Bertha is still a lot smaller than your average pelagic manta ray the latter’s wingspan can measure up to 22 feet (seven meters). She measures about fourteen feet (five meters) wingspan which is wider than a basketball loop is high! Big Bertha is one of the biggest grown-up females we see regularly here along the coast of Kona. No surprise there: reef mantas are a little “smaller” than oceanic mantas. Pelagic manta Difference #1: The Giant Manta is Bigger than the Reef Manta Pelagic manta = giant manta ray = oceanic manta ray they usually roam the “pelagic” zones of the ocean. Reef manta = the type of manta ray who stays closer to the reef. And even though both types are huge, only one of them is called “giant manta ray” □ There is much confusion about the types of manta rays out there, even though there are only two. Coloration – each type has its own distinctive color pattern.Their habitat and distribution – we’re still learning about their migration patterns, but there are very clear differences between both types of manta rays.Even though reef mantas are huge already! Their size – the giant manta ray is bigger than the reef manta.These two manta rays are very different, namely when it comes to A question we often get about manta rays is what is the difference between the mysterious giant manta ray – and the reef manta ray we encounter daily when we take guests to swim with mantas.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |