Manta Rays live in the sea. They are seen all over the world, and even in the Baja Bay in Mexico. The gigantic devil rays can grow up to 4m across, and they have flattened bodies with beautiful wings on either side. They also have broad, rectangular mouths, with teeth only on the lower jaw. Manta Rays are found not only in uniform shades of black and white, but in other colors also. The color can vary from a greenish color or a grayish blue to a reddish brown and with a pure white belly. However, the color can change according to the region in which they live. Manta Rays found in the eastern Pacific have black underbellies. The Manta rays are also called filter-feeders, as they have a filtering mechanism in their bodies, and they feed on small bony fish as well as crustaceans.
Manta Rays are gentle creatures, but they are called devil fish. The frightened fishermen named it so, after seeing the black winged shapes swimming below them. The Manta Rays resembled creatures from hell, and the fishermen feared that the Rays would drag their boats into the sea and crush their boats by leaping out of the water. But it is not so. Manta Rays are friendly creatures.
Manta Rays live near the shore, but they can be found in deeper waters also. They can be found near coral reefs and other reefs or near the lagoons. They sometimes leap out of the water, and adult Manta rays can lift their bodies only partially out of the water. Yet, Manta Ray pups can leap out of water. The pups are born in litters of two in shallow waters and measure 1.2m across. They grow quickly and also have long life spans. Manta Rays jump out of the water to escape from a predator or to get rid of parasites on their skin.
Resources:
http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/topics/lh_manta.htm
