Patrick Isaacs
Habitat/Geography
(Manta Birostris)
Manta rays can be found typically, near
tropical and temperate waters near islands and continents. Specifically
continents with oceans.
They also search out
waters that are rich in planktonic life around the world, and are known
to migrate for these areas
These rays' distribution is consired circumtropical. This meaning "around the world", but in a latitude sense, they can be found heavily between the 35 degrees north and 35 south latitudinal lines.
Manta Rays share their habitat with organisms such as the Spinner Dolphin, and the Pacific Seahorse, and Anemones.
They can be found in South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique to Somalia, the Gulf of Aden, Myanmar, the Red Sea, Thailand, Indonesia, countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, areas near Japan, above Australia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Brazil to the Carolinas, and Liberia to Senegal. (See Below)Manta Rays are found generally near the shores of islands and continents, but occasionally they can be found over deep water, and near coral and rocky reefs. They swim by flapping their large pectoral fins and can be spotted in large numbers particularly near surge channels.
Sometimes, Manta Rays have been seen interacting with seabirds, some sharks, occasionally dolphins and the other ray in their genus (the Spotted Eagle Ray, Aeto batus narinari).
World Distribution for the Manta
(Image courtesy of the Ichthyology Department at Florida State University)
Why don't we venture on to how and what the Manta Rays consumes.