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Reef Manta - Manta alfredi is the smaller species of Manta, usually with wing span of up to 3 - 3.5 meters.
They are much easier to see if there is a cleaning station, which they will visits from time to time to get cleaned by various reef fishes. When they are in 'cleaning mode' they will hovers above a block of corals which usually house the cleaner wrasses/fishes and let them do the work. If not disturbs, they can hovers in the same position for a few minutes or may swim away and return again as usually, there will be more than 1 Manta Ray visiting the cleaning station and they may take turns to get cleaned.
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
