24 



DANGEROUS MARINE ANIMALS 



GIANT DEVIL RAY OR MANTA 

 (Manta birostris Donndorff). (Fig. 6, Top). 



This giant ray may attain a spread of more than 20 ft., and 

 a weight of more than 3500 lbs. It does not possess a caudal sting. 

 When harpooned, it is able to tow a small launch for several hours. 

 The manta is not aggressive and is dangerous only because of its 

 huge size. Several deaths have been reported of helmet divers 

 whose airlines became fouled in the cephalic fins and "wings" of 

 mantas that apparently came over to investigate the bubbles. Like 



Fig. 6. Top: Giant Devil Ray or Manta, Man ta birostris Donndorff. (Baergh) 

 Bottom: Great Barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda (Walbaum). (Hon) 



most sharks, their skin is covered by coarse dermal denticles which 

 can inflict a severe abrasion of the skin if one were to brush up 

 against them. They are generally seen swimming or basking near 

 the surface of the water with the tips of their long pectoral fins 

 curling above the surface. Occasionally, they are seen leaping out 

 of the water and falling back into the water with a tremendous 

 splash. Mantas are primarily plankton feeders, but may eat crusta- 

 ceans and small fishes, at times. Their color is reddish or olivaceous- 

 brown to black above, and light beneath. Mantas are found in 

 tropical-subtropical belts in both hemispheres. Although some 

 investigators believe that there may be as many as ten different 



