Manta rays are also called mobula, pinyin pronunciation (fú fèn), also known as blanket rays. It belongs to the cartilaginous fish family and manta rays. It contains two genera, the genus Anterior manta rays and the genus Manta rays. Common ones include the Japanese manta ray (Mobula japonica) and the manta birostris (manta birostris).
The genus consists of two species, the double-snouted manta ray and the Ashio manta ray, both of which are currently listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The genus contains nine species, including Japanese manta rays, manta rays, long-tailed manta rays, brown-backed manta rays, Indian manta rays, mangki manta rays, short-tailed manta rays, lower-mouthed manta rays and gushi manta rays, and these nine species of manta rays are also included in the categories of "near endangered" and "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
People who see a manta ray for the first time are always overwhelmed by its "alien" appearance, and it is difficult to associate it with orthodox fish. In fact, this ancient fish appeared in the ocean as early as the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era. For more than 100 million years, their body size has hardly changed and they are representative of primitive fish.
Morphological characteristics
Manta rays (fú fèn) are generally flattened , wider than long , up to 8 meters wide , and weigh 3,000 kg. The body disc is diamond-shaped, with one head wide and flattened; the snout end is wide and flattened; the pectoral fin is large and thick as a wing, and there are two prominent head fins differentiated from the pectoral fin in front of the head, located on both sides of the head; the tail is slender as a whip, with a small dorsal fin, and some species have one or more stingers on the tail; the mouth is wide, anterior or inferior; the teeth are thin and numerous, nearly paved; the upper and lower jaws have tooth bands, or the upper jaw is toothless; the nostrils are located just on the front two sides of the mouth, and the water outlet is open at the corner of the mouth; the water jet hole is small, triangular, located behind the eye, and a considerable distance from the eye The gill hole is wide; the belt is deeply curved, and the center is elongated with a pointed protrusion. ovoviviparous.
On its head grow two fleshy feet, which are its head fins, which protrude forward. It is called "manta ray", mainly because of its scary shape. When swimming, manta rays fan their triangular pectoral fins and drag a hard, slender tail as if they were flying in water. It can make a spinning jump. As the rotation gets faster and faster, the manta ray rises rapidly and jumps out of the sea. Manta rays can generally jump up to 1.5 meters above the water. During the breeding season, manta rays sometimes pat the surface of the water with their double fins and jump up in the air to somersamble.
The smallest manta ray is the Australian mobula diabolis , which is no wider than 60 cm (2 ft) wide. The Atlantic manta birostris is the largest species in the family, reaching up to 7 m (23 ft) wide. Body black or brown, strong but not hurtful.
The "tail" of manta rays (manta rays) may have a weak current but is not poisonous, while the "tail" of a stingray that is somewhat similar in form is highly poisonous, so pay attention to distinguish between them to avoid misunderstanding.
Distribution range
Manta rays extantly live in 3 genera and 13 species in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans between 35 degrees north and south latitudes. Four species can be found in the eastern and southern waters of China: the double-snouted manta ray, the Japanese manta ray, the Taiwan manta ray and the thornless manta ray.
Habitat
Manta rays inhabit shallow tropical and subtropical seas, rarely staying or inhabiting the seafloor, and can be seen from surface waters closer to the coast to 120 meters deep. Certain species can be found in Fujian, Zhejiang and the Yellow Sea region of China. Because they have a habit of migrating, they are not seen in a place all year round. Every year from June to July in fujian, Zhejiang coast, from August to September to the Yellow Sea. From October to November, it returns to the coast of Zhejiang, and from December to February to March of the following year, it migrates south along the original route.
Habits of life
They feed mainly on plankton and small fish, and often cruise around coral reefs for food.
Strange behavior
Scientists have observed that manta rays need to do a series of preparations before jumping out of the sea: they rise in a rotating swimming posture in the sea, and while approaching the sea surface, the speed and swimming speed continue to accelerate until they jump out of the water, and sometimes accompanied by beautiful flips. At its highest, it can jump 1.5-4 meters high, and when it falls into the water, it makes a loud bang, which is a beautiful and spectacular scene.
Its head fin protrudes forward and can be freely rotated and used to drive away food, so it pulls the food into its mouth and swallows it, because of its muscle strength, and they can leap in groups, even the most ferocious sharks do not dare to attack it easily.
Breeding methods
The breeding season is from December to April of the following year. They live for about 20 years. Female manta rays are very protective of their only son. It is not like other fish, a spawn has thousands of thousands of grains, like the sunfish, can be said to be a high-capacity hand in the fish, a spawn can reach 300 million grains. Female manta rays do not lay eggs, they are oviparous, and it only gives birth to one litter at a time, which is a rare thing in fish.
1, manta rays, although not aggressive, but like to prank.
Its temperament is lively, but its behavior is strange, sometimes it will deliberately swim shallow to the bottom of the boat fishing in the sea, hit the bottom of the boat with its huge "wings", and also make a "whoosh, pop" sound; sometimes it will use its head fin to hang itself on the anchor of the boat, dragging the boat around the sea, making the fishermen panic and think that something is doing something, which is actually the mischief of the manta ray.
2, don't think that the manta ray is not threatening, you think it is cute.
Once angry, it is powerful enough to overthrow a small boat, and when it is angry, it can simply spread its wings and shoot it, and it will kill people. But generally they are very friendly, if there is a diver swimming in front of them on the bottom of the sea, they will swim shyly, and some lively will stay and play with the diver. As long as humans are kind to nature, then other animals will also accept and show a friendly side to humans.
3. One of the most distinctive skills of manta rays is their "volleying" leaping skills!
Thousands of "manta rays" fan the triangular pectoral fins, dragging a hard and slender tail to the air in a collective volley, the water splash thunder, especially spectacular. There is said to be a reason for their flying in flocks, with some saying that it is a mutual flirting game during the breeding season; others see it as a way to drive and trap food; and scientifically proven to be a unique action of female manta rays when they give birth. But many mysteries about manta rays have yet to be further studied by the scientific community.
4, the female manta ray only gives birth to one child at a time, so it is very protective of its baby.
The small manta ray weighs about 20 kilograms at birth, about one meter long, if you don't understand this kind of fish and think it is a big fish, in fact, the Lun family is a newborn baby. The little manta ray will be favored by the mother, the female manta ray protector is eager, if you see the beloved baby is in danger, you will immediately attack the enemy, with the sharp stinger hidden in the tail attack, after being stabbed by it will be painful, so you really can't easily provoke their baby.
Manta rays are now in jeopardy for their survival, and we humans should no longer overfish, and the oceans without them will lose their luster. A manta ray produces up to 16 small fish in its lifetime, the gap between human overfishing and trafficking and its own reproduction rate is getting wider and wider, and they are currently encountering an unprecedented serious crisis, in order to meet in the sea, please do not hurt them again, just like the public service advertisement "Nature has manta rays, nature is blessed."
I and 10W+ in the middle of the difference between your one forward :)
For more excitement, please pay attention to the public account, welcome to add a whistle of WeChat!