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(#2) They Are The First Fish To Pass The Mirror Test
Manta rays are one of the most intelligent animals in the ocean, and a study has shown that they may be as self-aware as dolphins, primates, and crows. Two manta rays were exposed to a mirror and their reactions were documented. Neither treated the mirror like another manta, and both performed behaviors that were completely novel.
One manta watched itself as it blew bubbles in the mirror, and both took a sharp interest in their reflections and contorted their bodies into unusual positions. Some believe this is evidence that they knew what they were seeing, but not everyone is convinced. At least one researcher wants to see the results of neural imaging on a manta ray as it interacts with its reflection.
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(#12) Thay Have Fairly Long Lifespans
Many larger animals tend to have longer lives, and there's no exception with manta rays. Estimates put their lifespan at about 40 years, but some experts believe that they may be able to live much longer. Research is underway to try and pinpoint the manta's natural lifespan, but it will likely take a few decades to yield results.
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(#5) Manta Rays Have To Keep Swimming In Order To Breath
Like many species of shark, manta rays need to be in constant motion in able to breath properly. This is unfortunate for them as they are unable to stop to sleep or rest. They cannot respire, so the only way for them to get oxygen is to have a steady stream of oxygenated water passing through their gills. Manta rays accidentally caught in human fishing nets are at extreme risk of death because they can get stuck and become immobilized.
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(#6) There Are Actually Two Separate Species Of Manta Rays
The term "manta" actually describes a genus of ray species. There are only two extant species of the manta genus, the larger Manta birostris and the somewhat smaller Manta alfredi. While the two species are very similar, there are some key differences that define the two. Their closest relatives are mobula rays, a species of stingray that also feeds on plankton.
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(#3) Mantas Are Massive
Mantas are the largest species of ray in the world, dwarfing most sting rays. The largest mantas have an incredible wingspan of 25 feet and can weigh well over 5,000 pounds. They grow very slowly overtime, not reaching sexual maturity until they reach about 10 years of age. Their slow growth rate may explain how they can reach such monstrous proportions.
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(#7) They Can Sieve Plankton From The Water With Their Unique Mouths
While manta rays may be huge, a considerable portion of their diet is made from some of the smallest organisms on Earth. They use their gaping mouths as filters to sieve out plankton from the seawater in huge gulps. There is a trend of large sea creatures that live on a diet of small creatures; whale sharks, the largest fish in the world, also eat a large amount of plankton, and many blue whales survive on a diet of krill. They all have various methods for filtering their food out of the water.
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About This Tool
Manta rays are named for their appearance which is similar to bats flying at night. Many people are always at a loss when they see manta rays for the first time. It is really difficult to associate them with normal fishes, but the ancestors of manta ray living in the ocean as early as the Jurassic in the Mesozoic Era. Since about 100 million years ago, their body shape has hardly changed.
They have a wide and flat rhombus body, which looks like a kite in the ocean, dragging a thin and long tail and flapping triangular pectoral fins. In fact, the manta ray is a very mild filter-feeding sea creature, without any territorial behavior or aggressiveness. With the random tool, you could learn more fascinating facts about manta rays.
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