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Melanistic Reef Manta Ray
This is the Black version, Melanistic version of Reef Manta Ray, Manta alfredi. They are considered a rarity, aside from another rarer version, the White Manta, Leucistic mantas, which are white or almost all white in colour including their back. This individual was rather huge, easily 4 meters, possibly up to 4.5 meters wing span.
The reef manta ray is species of ray in the family Mobulidae, one of the largest rays in the world. Among generally recognized species, it is the second-largest species of ray, only surpassed by the giant oceanic manta ray .
Its scientific name is a tribute to the British Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who was victim of an assassination attempt in Clondarf in Australia at the time the description of the species was published by the director of the Australian Museum Gerard Krefft.. more
