10 amazing facts about manta rays

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By Danielle Reckless

You may aleady know that you can swim with manta rays here in Queensland (here's how to do it) but there's more than meets the eye to these gentle ocean giants.

Here's ten facts about manta rays you should know before you dive in.

1. What's in a name

The word 'manta' is actually Spanish for 'blanket' or 'cloak', and it's pretty easy to see the connection.

2. They love open water

While stingrays prefer digging through the sandy sea bottom, manta rays love to cruise the open oceans in tropical and sub-tropical areas, and only get close to the sea bed to get cleaned. In fact, mantas have to swim constantly to stay alive; the forward propulsion flushes water over their gills.

3. They're smart cookies

Manta rays have the largest brain to body weight ratio of any living fish; giving it enough smarts to make the average dolphin jealous.

4. Their spots are like fingerprints

Just like leopard sharks, manta rays can be individually identified by the spots on the underside of their bodies.

5. Better the devil you know

The manta ray and the devil ray are often confused, but they're actually two different species. The main point of difference is devil rays have pointier wings and horn-like cephalic fins; whereas the manta’s have round labrador ear-looking plankton scoopers.

6. Meet the next generation

Manta rays birth little manta pups about every second year, conveniently rolled up like little burritos. However, this is a relatively slow reproduction rate, which makes mantas vulnerable to overfishing.

7. They can fly

Well, not exactly. Manta rays have often been spotted leaping out of the water like flying pizzas. But the reasons for this behaviour is still a mystery to scientists. Some theories have attributed the behaviour to mating rituals, communication and removal of parasites.

8. They're among the largest animals in the ocean

No, they don't just look big underwater. A fully grown oceanic manta ray can reach a wing span of up to 7 metres and weigh up to two tonnes. That's as much as a white rhino. Its smaller reef cousin grows to 4.5 metres and weigh an average of 1.5 tonnes.

9. They're harmless

While their looming size will take your breath away, you don't need to sweat. Manta rays are completely harmless to humans, with a non-functioning tail spine and 300 tiny little teeth. Being filter feeders, their standard diet consists of crustaceans, plankton and small fish.

10. Queensland is one of the best spots to see them

Manta Rays can be seen in numbers all along the Australian East coast. Osprey Reef, Heron Island and Lady Musgrave Island offer manta sightings regularly throughout the year. Closer to Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island sees mantas passing through during the warmer summer months; you can dive with them, or try your luck finding them in the clear waters below the popular North Gorge Walk.

The closest you’ll get to a guaranteed sighting is at Lady Elliot Island, during winter when these giants congregate in the hundreds.