# Manta Ray (*Mobula birostris*)

> The giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) is the largest ray in the ocean, with a wingspan reaching up to 7 m (23 ft) and a weight of up to 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). It swims through tropical and subtropical open seas by flapping its broad pectoral fins like wings, filtering plankton from the water. Despite its size it is harmless to people, and it can live 40 years or more. The IUCN lists it as Endangered.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Endangered
- **Range:** Tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, near reefs, seamounts, and the open ocean.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/manta-ray/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Chondrichthyes
- **Order:** Myliobatiformes
- **Family:** Mobulidae
- **Genus:** Mobula

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Mobula birostris |
| Diet | Filter feeder (plankton) |
| Habitat | Tropical and subtropical open ocean |
| Lifespan | Up to 40 years or more |
| Weight | Up to 1,400 kg (3,000 lb) |
| Wingspan | Up to 7 m (23 ft) across |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |

## Size and appearance

The giant manta ray is the largest of all rays, spanning up to 7 m (23 ft) from wing tip to wing tip and weighing as much as 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Its flattened, diamond-shaped body is dark above and pale below, with a unique pattern of blotches on the belly that scientists use to identify individuals. A pair of fleshy cephalic fins projects from either side of its wide mouth, giving the animal its old nickname of "devil ray". Unlike stingrays, the manta has no functional stinging barb on its whip-like tail.

## How it swims and moves

A manta ray appears to fly underwater, beating its huge triangular pectoral fins in slow, graceful strokes rather than swishing a tail. This wing-like motion lets it cruise efficiently across open water and reach bursts of around 35 km/h (22 mph) when it needs to. Mantas are strong ocean travellers that cover long distances between feeding and cleaning sites, and they are among the few fish known to leap clear of the surface, breaching before crashing back down.

## Filter feeding and diet

Mantas are filter feeders that live almost entirely on tiny drifting plankton and small fish larvae. They swim forward with the mouth held wide open, channelling water and prey between the cephalic fins and across comb-like filter plates in the gills that trap the food while letting the water pass through. When they find a dense patch of plankton they often perform slow somersaults or gather in loose feeding chains to sweep up as much as possible. A single large manta can filter thousands of litres of seawater in a day.

## Intelligence and behaviour

Manta rays have the largest brain relative to body size of any fish, and they show curiosity and problem-solving that is unusual among their relatives. They regularly visit "cleaning stations" on reefs, hovering while small wrasse and other fish pick parasites and dead skin from their bodies. Mantas have even passed mirror-test experiments that suggest a degree of self-awareness, and individuals often return to the same sites year after year.

## Reproduction and life cycle

Manta rays reproduce very slowly, which makes their populations fragile. Females usually give birth to a single large pup, occasionally two, after a gestation of roughly a year, and the pup is born rolled up before unfurling its wings and swimming away. Females may only breed every two to three years, and mantas do not reach maturity until around ten years old. This low reproductive rate means lost animals are replaced very slowly.

## Why it is endangered

The giant manta ray is listed as Endangered by the IUCN, mainly because of targeted fishing and accidental capture in nets. Demand for their gill plates, used in some traditional remedies, has driven heavy hunting in parts of their range. Because mantas grow slowly and produce so few young, even modest levels of fishing can cause steep declines. Protected areas, fishing bans, and manta-focused tourism now play an important part in efforts to safeguard them.

## Frequently asked questions

### How big is a manta ray?

The giant manta ray can reach a wingspan of up to 7 m (23 ft) and weigh as much as 1,400 kg (3,000 lb), making it the largest ray in the world.

### Are manta rays dangerous to humans?

No. Manta rays are gentle filter feeders with no stinging barb and no interest in people. Divers can swim alongside them safely, and mantas are often curious about human visitors.

### What do manta rays eat?

Manta rays are filter feeders that eat plankton and tiny fish larvae. They swim with their mouths open, straining food from the water through specialised filter plates in their gills.

### How long do manta rays live?

Manta rays are long-lived and can survive for 40 years or more in the wild. They also reproduce very slowly, usually raising just one pup every few years.

### Do manta rays sting like stingrays?

No. Although they are close relatives of stingrays, manta rays have lost the venomous barb on their tail and cannot sting. Their tail is a thin, harmless whip.

### Why are manta rays endangered?

Manta rays are Endangered largely because of fishing for their gill plates and accidental capture in nets. Their very slow breeding rate means populations recover extremely slowly once numbers fall.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Mobula birostris.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Mobula%20birostris&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Mobula birostris. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mobula_birostris/)
- [Wikipedia — Manta Ray.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_oceanic_manta_ray)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/manta-ray/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.