Promoted
Prince Adora
This handsome Oceanic Manta Ray - Manta birostris is another first observation to Manta Trust's database.
I was asked to give a name to him - Prince Adora, in appreciation to the crews of the the Boat; MV Adora that I dive with on many trips to Maldives.
The giant oceanic manta ray is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae, and the largest type of ray in the world. They are circumglobal and are typically found in tropical and subtropical waters, but can also be found in temperate waters.
Similar species: Stingrays And Eagle Rays
By Albert Kang
All rights reserved
Uploaded Apr 8, 2019. Captured Mar 24, 2019 10:37.
comments (10)
Yes, pretty happy with this shot, and a few others similar to this one, with and without divers.
And considering I had quite a basic set-up i.e. compact camera and just a single strobe light. A friend on the trip was using Nikon D800 + 15mm Fisheye Lens + 2 strobe lights and I believe this picture was nearly as good as the one he took :D Posted 6 years ago
Glad you like this one. Posted 6 years ago
Giant Oceanic Manta Rays (Manta birostris) are easily recognized by their diamond-shaped bodies and wing-like pectoral fins that make them appear to fly through the water. They are graceful, gentle, and aerodynamic creatures! They are the largest rays in the world and grow up to 7 meters (23 feet) wide! In addition to their impressive size, they have other characteristics that make them fin-tastic. For example, they rely on countershading for camouflage, which means that their dorsal surface is dark and their ventral surface is light. Their bright bellies blend in with the surface of the water when looked upon from underneath, while their dark back blends well with the dark, deep water when seen from above. Perfect!
Hunting by sight and smell, manta rays are filter feeders that mostly prey upon zooplankton. Interestingly, they actually herd their prey by swiftly swimming around them to create a current. The current collects the zooplankton into a ball, and then the ray uses its cephalic fins to pull this plankton-ball into its mouth. They have rows of cartilaginous lobes in their mouths that filter the plankton from the seawater. But, unlike other filter feeders, manta rays have a unique filtration system that resists clogs. Food particles aren’t pushed into the filter where they can get stuck; rather, particles bounce off the filter and get swallowed. No clogging means that mantas are more efficient eaters and can feed continuously without having to stop and clean their filters. This strategy is being studied for use at wastewater treatment facilities that fail to catch microplastics and other pollutants, which escape into waterways. The manta rays have inspired scientists to find a better way! {Spotted in the Maldives by JungleDragon moderator, Albert Kang} #JungleDragon Posted 6 years ago