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The Manta Ray
The Manta Ray is the largest ray fish known. The largest
known Manta Ray reached twenty-five feet (nearly eight
meters) across and weighed five thousand pounds (two and a
quarter megagrams). They are found in tropical waters around
the world, most often around coral reefs.
The Manta Ray is also called the Atlantic Manta, Devilfish,
Manta and Pacific Manta. There are two different species of
Manta Ray, the small local one and the large migratory one.
Manta Rays are filter feeders. They usually eat fish larvae
and plankton that they filter through their gills while
swimming. On the flat surface of horizontal plates between
the gills is a russet colored spongy tissue that catches
small prey organisms.
Mantas will often go to what is called a "reef side cleaning
station". This is a place where smaller fish that eat dead
skin and parasites from the skin of larger fish commonly
congregate. There the Manta Ray will allow fish like the
Angelfish and Wrasses to swim over its gills and skin,
cleaning it of dead skin and parasites.
The main predators of the Manta Ray are large sharks,
although Orcas (large, carnivorous dolphins) have been known
to eat a Manta Ray on occasion.
See our stuffed shark page.
Mantas are known to swim with divers as they are extremely
curious about humans. But it is important that they never be
touched by a diver as this disrupts the mucus membrane that
surrounds their soft tissue and causes lesions and
infections.
Manta Rays have been known to surface to investigate boats
with running engines as well. In the shark and ray family
they have the largest brain to body size proportion. Mantas
have been seen spraying water into the air when they breach
the surface.
Manta Rays are rarely kept in captivity as they are so
large. Only four aquariums in the world keep Manta Rays for
display. Nandi, a captive Manta Ray that was rescued off the
coast of South Africa, is located in the Georgia Aquarium
and lives in the Ocean Voyager exhibit in the United States.
How's this for living in the lap of Luxury?
plush stuffed Manta Rays,
You will find to be fascinating and such Fun.
Just who can resist this Superb stuffed Manta Ray
floating around in all it's majestic glory.....
just waiting for the right person to give it a good home.
That lucky person could be you!
By taking this stuffed plush Manta Ray toy animal
home you will be rewarded by many countless hours
of enjoyable entertainment and a whole lot of fun
and love as you or your children play with this
intriguing plush stuffed Manta Ray.
A delightful stuffed animal you can call your Own.
Stuffed plush Manta Ray
is swimming around at the Stuffed Ark banner
waiting for you to make a good catch.
Manta Ray and sea animal Calendars
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