Sharks Chimaeras Skates and Rays: Chondrichthyes

Physical characteristics: The head, pectoral fin, and trunk of Atlantic mantas are flattened and join to form a disk that is much broader than it is long and has slightly curved outer corners. Adults have an average disk width of 22 feet (6.7 meters). Atlantic mantas have a short, whiplike tail. Atlantic mantas are brown to olive-green on the back and white to whitish on the belly.

Geographic range: Atlantic mantas live all over the world.

Habitat: Atlantic mantas live in open coastal waters.

Diet: Atlantic mantas eat animal plankton and freely swimming crustaceans (krus-TAY-shuns), such as shrimp.

Behavior and reproduction: Atlantic mantas perform somersaults while feeding. They sometimes leap partially or completely out of the water. They enter shallow reef areas to be cleaned of parasites by small Atlantic mantas sometimes perform somersaults while feeding. They can leap partially or completely out of the water. (Illustration by Gillian Harris. Reproduced by permission.) bony fishes. After internal fertilization of the eggs, the young develop inside the female. The litter size is unknown. Atlanta mantas are 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide at birth.

Conservation status: Atlantic mantas are not threatened nor endangered.

Atlantic mantas and people: Atlantic mantas are eaten in some parts of the world. Scuba expeditions are conducted to observe manta rays at their feeding sites. ∎