What Body Parts Do Manta Rays Have?

Fins

• Mantas have large, triangular fins that resemble wings. Mantas are twice as wide as they are long. A full-size manta's wingspan can reach 22 feet. The fins help mantas execute somersaults, barrel rolls and other maneuvers as they feed. Mantas in the Maldives have been observed feeding in groups of 50 or more by swimming in tight formations that spiral their way through clouds of plankton like a cyclone.

Cephalic Fins

• Manta rays get the name devilfish or devil ray from the large horn-like structures called cephalic fins that protrude from either side of the head. When the manta feeds, the cephalic fins push krill and other small creatures toward its mouth. According to California-based marine biologist Robert Rubin, a noted expert on manta rays, the cephalic fins may contain electrical receptors similar to those found in sharks that help mantas sense nearby creatures.

Mouth

• Mantas are primarily filter-feeders. As they swim through swarms of plankton or other small sea creatures, water and sea-life are drawn into the mouth. Inside the mouth, sponge-like tissues strain the prey animals from the water. The animals are swallowed and the sea water passes through the gill slits.

Gills

• The manta's gills are just behind the mouth. As the fish swims, water is drawn into the mouth and across the gills. The gills contain tiny filaments that absorb oxygen from the water and expel carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is carried away as the water passes out of the body through the gill slits.

Eyes

• The manta's eyes are near the mouth, just behind the cephalic fins. They can look forward and down, but they have difficulty seeing whats behind or above.

Tail

• The manta's narrow, slightly flat tail is shorter than the animal is wide. The manta's dorsal fin is near the base of the tail. The tail of the larger of the two species has a calcified mass below the dorsal fin containing a vestigial spine.

Claspers

• Male mantas are distinguished from females by their penis-like organs called claspers. Each clasper contains a groove that carries the sperm to the female's body where the eggs are fertilized. During mating season, male mantas will chase a female until the fastest male catches one of her wings in his teeth and presses himself against her belly. He inserts his clasper into an opening called a vent and releases the sperm before swimming off. After nine to 12 months, the female gives birth to one to two pups.