Manta rays (Mobulidae; devil rays), also known as devil fish and blanket ray. Belonging to the cartilaginous fish class, the Manta Ray family, it contains two genera, Manta Ray and Manta Ray. The body is rhombus-shaped and more than 6m wide. Body bluish brown. Big deduction. Under the lateral position, can look sideways and top down. There is a pair of cephalic fins with pectoral fin differentiation on the head side, protruding forward. Dorsal fin small, pectoral fin wing-shaped. The tail is slender like a whip, with tail spines. Usually benthic life, but sometimes cruising on the surface, and do long-distance migration, agile. Feeds on planktonic crustaceans and small fish. Ovoviviparous. Distributed in tropical and temperate sea areas, China is found in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the coast of Taiwan. Common ones are the Japanese manta ray (Mobula japonica) and the manta ray (Manta birostris). Liver is rich in fat, from which fish oil can be extracted.

The genus Manta ray contains two species, namely Manta ray and Manta alba, both of which are currently listed in the Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Convention on International Trade (CITES). The genus Manta includes nine species, including the Japanese manta ray, the manta ray, the long-tailed manta ray, the brown-backed manta ray, the Indian manta ray, the manta ray, the short-tailed manta ray, the manta ray, and the manta ray. The nine species of manta rays are also classified as Near Threatened and Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The manta ray (fú fèn) is generally flat[4], wider than long, up to 8 meters wide and 3000 kilograms in weight. The body is rhombus-shaped, with a broad and flat head; the snout is broad and horizontal; the pectoral fins are long and thick like wings, and there are two prominent cephalic fins differentiated from the pectoral fins in front of the head, located on both sides of the head; the tail is slender as a whip, with A small dorsal fin, with one or more stingers on the tail of some species; mouth wide, anterior or inferior; teeth thin and numerous, nearly stony; upper and lower jaws with tooth bands, or upper jaws without teeth; nostrils just Located on both sides of the front of the mouth, the water outlet opening is at the corner of the mouth; the water jet hole is small, triangular, located behind the eye, a considerable distance from the eye; the gill hole is wide; Ovoviviparous. Fossils are found in the Tertiary to modern times.

Manta ray appearance:

It has two fleshy feet on its head, It is its cephalic fin, which is turned and protruding forward. In English, it is wrongly called stingray, mainly because of its scary shape. When manta rays swim, they flap their triangular pectoral fins and drag a stiff, slender tail as if they were flying through the water. Adult manta rays can grow up to 7 meters in length and weigh 5,000 kilograms, but they can make a whirling jump. As it spins faster and faster, the manta ray quickly rises and leaps out of the sea. Manta rays can generally jump 1.5 meters out of the water. During the breeding season, manta rays sometimes slap the water with their fins, leaping and doing somersaults in the air.

The smallest manta ray is the Australian stingless manta ray (Mobula diabolis), which is no more than 60 cm (2 feet) wide. The Atlantic manta ray (Manta birostris) is the largest species in the undergraduate class, reaching a width of 7 meters (23 feet). Body black or brown, powerful but not hurtful.

Manta rays do not have a spindle-shaped body like traditional fish. They have no dorsal fins. Their large triangular pectoral fins and disc-like bodies form a giant flat body, like a sea kite. . Their skin is far from smooth to the touch, mostly black or gray-blue on the back, and gray ventrally with scattered dark spots. The huge pectoral fins are similar in shape and function to the wings of birds. The distance between the two pectoral fins is called the wingspan, which is the width of the body, and the length is greater than the length of the body. This is a measure of the size of manta rays and identification of species. standard.

Manta ray characteristics:

Manta rays are the largest species of rays. Although it is not aggressive, it is powerful enough to destroy small boats when disturbed. Its size and strength often frighten divers, because once it gets angry, just one blow with its powerful wings will break people's bones and cause death. The behavior of manta rays is also very strange. It has a lively temperament and often does some mischief. Sometimes it deliberately dives to the bottom of the boat sailing in the sea, and beats the bottom of the boat with its body wings, making a whoosh, snap sound, making the people on board panic; sometimes it runs to the boat parked in the sea, It hangs its horns on the anchor chain of the boat and pulls up the small iron anchor, which makes people feel at a loss; or it hangs itself on the anchor chain of the boat with its cephalic fins, and drags the boat to run fast at sea Running around, misleading the fishermen into thinking it was a devil at work, it was actually a manta ray prank.

The tail of the manta ray (manta ray) may have a weak electric current but is not poisonous, while the tail of the manta ray, which is somewhat similar in shape, is highly poisonous. Pay attention to the distinction to avoid misunderstanding.