Manta rays have the largest brain-to-size ratio of any cold-blooded fish. Many individual manta rays return to the same stations over and over. Manta rays make regular visits to cleaning stations-spots on a coral reef where sea animals go to be cleaned by smaller creatures-where they stay still for several minutes while cleaner fish remove parasites and dead skin. They’re considered predators and hunt deep below the surface of the sea. Giant manta rays live alone or in small groups, typically congregating to feed. They use creative techniques when feeding, often doing repeated somersaults to stay in a single spot that is packed with krill, or chain-feeding-following each other in a circle, mouths open, to create a cyclone effect, trapping food in a spiral. Habitat and feedingīoth species of manta ray are filter feeders: they swim with their mouths wide open, drawing in zooplankton and krill, which they sift through rows of tiny rakes that line their mouths called gill plates. While the smaller reef manta has an impressive wingspan of about 11 feet wide on average, the giant oceanic manta ray-the largest species of ray-can have a wingspan of up to 29 feet. In 2008, researchers discovered that there are actually two distinct species: the reef manta ray, which tends to live along coastlines in the Indo-Pacific, and the giant oceanic manta ray, which lives in all the world’s major oceans, spending most of its life far from land. Manta rays have two horn-shaped fins protruding from the front of their heads, which has also given them the nickname “devil fish.”įor decades, scientists thought there was just one species of manta ray. “Manta” means blanket or cloak in Spanish, describing the look of the animals’ large, flat, diamond-shaped bodies, which are characterized by triangular pectoral fins. The sea creatures live in tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters across the globe. The site may be infected, and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics (oral or intravenous) to treat it.Manta rays-highly intelligent and highly threatened-are the largest rays in the world. If you’ve had the wound for a while but are slow to recover, you experience redness or additional swelling at the site, or the site begins to ooze pus, get treatment right away. If you have a puncture wound and aren’t up to date on your tetanus booster, it’s time to get it renewed.

Some people have died as a result of stings in their chests and abdomens. It’s possible for the heart to stop or for the body to go into shock after a stingray sting. The following symptoms could be signs of a systemic reaction or respiratory distress and require immediate emergency medical care: painful, swollen lymph nodes near the site.If you’re stung by a stingray, you may experience these symptoms: What are the symptoms of a stingray sting? Once you’ve relieved the pain, apply antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound and cover it with gauze. The hot water may also draw out venom, which resembles jelly. Reheat your water every 10 minutes to keep it continually hot, and soak the wound for 30 to 90 minutes, or as long as it takes for the pain to subside. The ideal temperature for a soak is 110☏ to 115☏ (43☌ to 46☌). Once you’ve determined you’re not having an allergic reaction, you might want to try soaking the sting in hot water. Hot water kills stingray venom and may relieve the pain associated with the sting. It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emergency medical care. Pay close attention to how you feel in the sting’s aftermath. Try to clear out any additional debris you might see in the cut or puncture while you’re still in the water. Allow the salt water to clean the wound while applying pressure over it to both slow the bleeding and encourage the venom to come out. Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can.

Seek emergency medical attention immediately. If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through part of your body, don’t attempt to remove it. You need to begin treating the wound right away if it’s superficial. When stung by a stingray, you’ll feel immediate, severe pain at the wound site.

Are manta rays dangerous