"Manta" is a Spanish word meaning cloak or blanket, which refers to a square piece of cloth used as a blanket or armless garment worn over the shoulders. The name may have been applied to the ray either for its shape or because it was caught in blanket-like traps. Originally, manta rays shared a common and scientific name, but these days their classification is less clear. Manta rays are now classified in the genus Mobula. Mobula and manta rays were separated due to differences in their mouth placement, but genetic evidence suggests they are more closely related than previously believed, leading to their reclassification.
Manta rays have the largest brains in relation to their size of any living cold-blooded fish. They are believed to be able to recognize themselves in mirrors and have excellent long-term memory for places they've visited in the past. Manta rays are filter feeders, much like whale sharks. They have comb-like gill breakers that capture small food particles as they swim. They can become clogged, so the rays regularly make trips to places where they can open their mouth and let smaller fish and crustaceans swim inside and clean up the scraps.
Manta rays can't stop for long periods of time. There are two different ways elasmobranchs obtain oxygen: ram ventilation and buccal pumping. Manta rays are obligate ram ventilators; they must continue moving in order to breathe. If they stop, they are unable to pump water over their gills like some ray species. Some areas with large manta ray populations have halted their fishing industry of the animals to instead focus on their entertaining appeal. A single manta ray might fetch $500 at the market for its meat, fins, gill rakers, and other bits, but over the course of its lifetime, it can earn more than one million dollars in tourism.
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Although they are massive animals, reaching up to 23 feet long in width, manta rays are completely harmless to humans, which contributes to their presence in the tourism industry. Manta rays were first described by science in 1798. Since then, they've gone through numerous name changes. At one point, their scientific name meant "head-winged vampire," though they aren't vampiric in nature. The blood-sucking name may have come from their appearance. Manta rays are also known as devil rays due to the horns projecting from their head. These horns are actually used for feeding and can be unraveled to help direct food into the fish's mouth.
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Manta rays can dive deep to find food. Some have been recorded reaching nearly 1,000 feet below the waves. These deep dives are believed to be inhibited by cold temperatures. Manta rays are poikilothermic, meaning their bodies go through various temperature states according to their surrounding environment.
