Scientific name: Manta alfredi
Size: Up to 18 feet wingspan
Color: Black and white
Distinguishing feature: Black back stained with white, white ventral side stained with black. Terminal position of the mouth, which is not under the body. No caudal spine.
Where did we see it: Thailand, French polynesia, Maldives
Scientific name: Manta alfredi
Size: Up to 18 feet wingspan
Color: Black and white
Distinguishing feature: Black back stained with white, white ventral side stained with black. Terminal position of the mouth, which is not under the body. No caudal spine.
Where did we see it: Thailand, French polynesia, Maldives
The black spots on the ventral side of the Manta represents his identity card. Photos with this aspect can be sent to the certified organizations who will be able to register it.
They eat mostly plankton but can eat crustaceans or small fish.
An almost black manta exists and you can see it in Papua. This one is not a species apart but rather a manta with a different skin color.
It's possible to see them in the blue, alone or in groups up to 3 rays. But they also often come to cleaning stations to allow cleaning fishes to clean the parasites present on their body. This allows divers to have a better chance of seeing them by visiting these places (often large rocks in the middle of the sand with nothing around).
Parrotfish create a protective envelope around them when they are sleeping.
So, don't put the light on them during night dive to don't to wake them up and break this envelope.
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world!
Some whales are larger, but they are mammals, not fish!
Mammals have a horizontal tail.
Fishes have a vertical fin.
