Manta ray
Mobula birostris; Mobula yarae · Also called: giant manta, Atlantic manta, Manta gigante, manta del Atlántico
Protection: Giant manta: threatened under the US Endangered Species Act; CITES Appendix II.[1]
Facts
- In 2025 scientists described a third manta species, Mobula yarae, found from the eastern US to Brazil including the Caribbean. Before that, these Atlantic mantas were treated as close to the giant manta.[2]
- Telling them apart: the Atlantic manta has V-shaped white shoulder patches; the giant manta has T-shaped ones.[2]
- Filter feeder on zooplankton. Mantas gather at cleaning stations and feeding spots. NOAA asks people to watch from a distance and never try to lure them closer.[1]
- Harvest of giant manta is banned in federal waters around Puerto Rico.[3]
Where it's been reported (3)
From the sources on each dive site's page. Sightings are never guaranteed.
- Tamarindo · Culebra“sea turtles, manta rays” (Discover Puerto Rico)
- Playa Esperanza (Vieques) · Vieques“manta rays, sea turtles” (vieques.com)
- Playa Pata Prieta · Vieques“schools of colorful fish, manta rays” (Discover Puerto Rico)
Sources
- Giant Manta Ray · NOAA Fisheries (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Third Manta Ray Species, Mobula yarae, Discovered in Atlantic Ocean · Marine Megafauna Foundation (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Seasonal and Area Fishing Closures in the U.S. Caribbean · NOAA Fisheries (accessed 2026-10-22)
Last checked 2026-10-22