Facts about Manta Ray

1. 06

   Manta rays are known to visit cleaning stations on coral reefs, where smaller fish remove parasites from their bodies in a mutualistic relationship.

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2. 05

   Classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, manta rays are threatened by targeted fishing, bycatch, and demand for their gill plates in traditional medicine markets.

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3. 04

   Brain-to-body ratio studies show manta rays possess the largest brains of any fish, associated with complex social behaviors and apparent self-awareness.

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4. 03

   Manta rays feed primarily on tiny zooplankton and small fish, using their distinctive cephalic fins to funnel water into their wide mouths.

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5. 02

   Unlike most fish, manta rays give birth to live young, typically producing a single pup after a gestation period of about one year.

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6. 01

   The wingspan of a giant manta ray can exceed 7 meters, making it the largest species of ray in the world.

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