The breeding season for manta rays is from December to April. At this time, the water temperature in the tropical waters is between 26-29 degrees Celsius, and manta rays begin to appear in groups in shallow waters, usually with several smaller males trailing behind the larger females, swimming slightly faster than usual. After 20-30 minutes of chase, the female manta ray gradually slows down, and the male manta ray swims under the lover and caresses his body with his pectoral fins. After a brief copulation, the male walks away, and the second suitor repeats the process. However, female manta rays are only courted by two sweet men at most - 1-2 fertilized eggs develop and hatch in the female fish. After about 13 months, the young manta rays will Produced directly from the mother's body, it will soon be able to swim freely and enter the world alone. Baby manta rays reach sexual maturity at the age of 5, and those of that age can carry on their genes: their lifespan is about 20 years.

Population distribution

The English name of the manta ray manta comes from Spanish, meaning For the blanket, just look at its size. This manta ray is obtained because its elegant and graceful swimming posture in the sea is similar to that of bats flying in the night sky. People who see a manta ray for the first time are always overwhelmed by its alien appearance, which makes it difficult to associate it with orthodox fish. In fact, this ancient fish appeared in the ocean as early as the Mesozoic Jurassic. For more than 100 million years, their body size has hardly changed. In terms of taxonomy, manta rays and sharks are the most closely related. They belong to the class of cartilaginous fishes, and they belong to the order Manta rays. There are 13 species in 3 genera, and they are distributed in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean between 35 degrees north and south latitude. sea area. Four species can be seen in the waters of eastern and southern China: manta ray, Japanese manta ray, Taiwan manta ray and thornless manta ray.

Manta rays mainly live in shallow tropical and subtropical areas, rarely stay or inhabit the bottom of the sea. They can be seen from the surface water layer closer to the coast to the depth of 120 meters. .

Some species are found in Fujian, Zhejiang and the Yellow Sea in China. Because of their migratory habits, they are not seen in one place all year round. Every year from June to July in the coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang, it goes to the Yellow Sea from August to September. From October to November, they return to the coast of Zhejiang, and from December to February to March of the next year, they migrate south along the original route.

Taxonomy

Mobula and Mobula Manta ray (Manta):

Nine species of the genus Manta ray: Mobula mobular, Mobula tarapacana, Japanese manta ray (Mobula japonica), pygmy manta ray Mobula eregoodootenkee, manta ray Mobula hypostoma, manta ray Mobula kuhlii, manta ray (Mobula munkiana, Mobula rochebrunei, manta ray Mobula thurstoni

The genus Manta ray (also known as the genus Manta) is still being studied, and only three species have been found: Manta birostris (Note: One of the classifications puts the front manta ray (Manta birostris) The genus Manta ray is grouped in the Manta ray family, another taxonomy puts both the genus Manta ray and the genus Manta ray in the family Manta ray), Manta ehrenbergii and Manta raya, and these three are very similar. So sometimes, It will become a separate family, but most of it is combined with the manta ray of the ray family.

Species protection

In addition, some residents of Asia have Manta ray gills are used as a medicinal habit, and they believe that the gill rakers of manta rays (bony protuberances, called gill rakers, have two rows of side-by-side bony protrusions on the inner edge of each gill arch of bony fish.) have very high medicinal properties. Due to its high market value, manta ray has a high market value, which is why it is hunted by fishermen in large numbers. But so far, there is no medical research to prove whether manta ray gills have medicinal value.

In 2011, the manta ray has been killed by fishermen. Listed under the International Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the manta ray as an endangered species. The Manta Trust is a headquarters UK-based charity dedicated to manta ray research and conservation. The organization's website also provides information resources on manta ray conservation and biology.

CITES 2013 》(CITES) will combine the manta ray and the alba Manta ray Two species of manta ray are listed as endangered wild animals in Appendix II of the Convention. As a contracting party, my country will protect the above two types of manta rays from September 14, 2014, and supervise the international trade of manta rays.