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MANTA RAY FLY-BY

The group of remoras hitches a ride underneath this ocean-going Manta Ray as it glides past the group of divers – close enough but not too close. They are gentle creatures and will often approach divers in order to satisfy their curiosity. They are so big that when they swim overhead it’s as if a cloud has blocked the sun, they move like a magic carpet in the water with unparalleled grace and speed. This one was still fairly far off, hence the blue haze in the image, but still majestic in its presence.

Manta Ray - Manta Birostris

Manta rays are large rays. The larger species, M. birostris, reaches 7m (23 ft) in width, both have triangular pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins and large, forward-facing mouths. Mantas are found in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Both species are pelagic;
M. birostris migrates across open oceans, singly or in groups, while M. alfredi tends to be resident and coastal. They are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton, which they gather with their open mouths as they swim. However, research suggests that the majority of their diet (73%) actually comes from mesopelagic sources; that is, they are actually deep sea predators, feeding on fish and other organisms that inhabit areas of the sea between 200–1,000m below the surface. They are listed as vulnerable, threats include pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, and direct harvesting for their gill rakers for use in Chinese medicine. They are protected in international waters.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/160 sec @ f8, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and
Two Sea & Sea YS350 strobes on   power. Taken on scuba at 27m at Amazon dive site off Tofo, Mozambique.

Photograph by Andrew Woodburn