This Manta Rays - Manta alfredi can be huge in size, easily up to 5 meters. The picture shows an average sized Manta Ray of around 3.5 meters wingspan.
Congratulations, Albert. The first time I saw a manta was in a documentary (from Jacques Cousteau, I think). I was astonished to see how high they could jump off the water! One of my all time favorite creatures.
Congratulations Albert, your Reef Manta has been voted Spotting of the Week! The great angle of your image of an iconic and charismatic underwater giant won you the vote.
"What an amazing shape! This beautiful Reef Manta Ray (Manta alfredi) has been voted Spotting of the Week. This distinctive ray has large triangular pectoral fins, cephalic lobes which are forward extensions of the pectoral fins, a slender tail, and can reach 5 m in width. This falls short of the 7 m maximum span of the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray (Manta birostris), the largest of the two manta species and the largest type of ray in the world. These gentle giants are filter feeders: they eat enormous amounts of zooplankton, which they collect gliding through the ocean with their mouth open. Both species of manta rays are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). For more information: https://buff.ly/2qShEtH "
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
14 Comments
Thanks, @Christine, @Isabela, @Zlatan, @Sergio, @remkinloch and @Antonio for your kind words and support :)
Spectacular capture Albert,congrats on the well deserved SOTW and thanks for sharing
Congratulations on SOTW - an amazing experience to swim with these beautiful creatures.
Congratulations, Albert. The first time I saw a manta was in a documentary (from Jacques Cousteau, I think). I was astonished to see how high they could jump off the water! One of my all time favorite creatures.
Great spotting and congrats.
Fantastic!
Beautiful shot! congrats on SOTW!
Thanks, @Daniele for this SOTW :)
Thanks too, @Jonathan, @Felix and @triggsturner for your kind words and support :)
Congratulations Albert on this brilliant SOTW.
Congrats, Albert!
Felicitaciones por el SOTW.
Congratulations Albert, your Reef Manta has been voted Spotting of the Week! The great angle of your image of an iconic and charismatic underwater giant won you the vote.
"What an amazing shape! This beautiful Reef Manta Ray (Manta alfredi) has been voted Spotting of the Week. This distinctive ray has large triangular pectoral fins, cephalic lobes which are forward extensions of the pectoral fins, a slender tail, and can reach 5 m in width. This falls short of the 7 m maximum span of the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray (Manta birostris), the largest of the two manta species and the largest type of ray in the world. These gentle giants are filter feeders: they eat enormous amounts of zooplankton, which they collect gliding through the ocean with their mouth open. Both species of manta rays are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
For more information: https://buff.ly/2qShEtH "
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Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
This is a very cool find!