Reef Manta Ray

• The dark markings on its belly are unique to each individual and identify it like a fingerprint.
• In New Caledonia an individual has been recorded descending to 672 m in search of food.
• Its generation length is estimated at 24 years, which means a depleted population takes decades to recover.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - cartilaginous skeleton (chondrichthyan)

Habitat & environment

Tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, associated with coastal reefs, oceanic islands and upwelling areas; from the surface down to 432 m

Size at birth

130-150 cm of disc width; the pup is born with its fins folded over its body

Sexual maturity

Males: 3-13 years (270-300 cm disc width) | Females: 8-17 years (300-350 cm)

Gestation / incubation

12-13 months. It is aplacental viviparous: the embryo feeds first on the yolk sac and then on uterine secretions rich in lipids and proteins

Litter / clutch size

1 pup per litter (exceptionally 2), averaging only 1 pup every 4-5 years. It is one of the lowest reproductive rates of any elasmobranch

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List (Marshall et al. 2019, e.T195459A68632178); Manta Trust; FishBase; Animal Diversity Web; Marshall & Bennett 2010, Journal of Fish Biology 77; Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (Australia); Save Our Seas Foundation

Best time: Seasonal aggregations at cleaning stations and feeding grounds; the breeding season is concentrated between October and January