Ecuador country information

Common names: Manta, Manta raya
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Also Ref. 2850.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ec.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Béarez, P., 1996
National Database:

Classification / Names

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) > Myliobatidae (Eagle and manta rays) > Mobulinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

鬼蝠魟(双吻前口蝠鲼), Mante géante, Manta gigante, ... more

Main reference

Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens. 1994. (Ref. 6871)
References | Biblio | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 910 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 58048); common length : 450 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 3176); max. published weight: 3.0 t (Ref. 5377); max. reported age: 20 years (Ref. 31742)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 380 - 460 cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 120 m (Ref. 58302)

Climate / Range

Subtropical, preferred ?; 31°N - 35°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 55255)

Distribution

Circumglobal, tropical to temperate: in the Northern Hemisphere, as far north as southern California and Rhode Island on the United States west and east coasts, Mutsu Bay, Aomori, Japan, the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt and the Azores Islands; in the Southern Hemisphere, as far south as Peru, Uruguay, South Africa and New Zealand. In some locations, including Mozambique, it is sympatric with Manta alfredi.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

A giant ray having an extremely broad head with long head fins, and a terminal mouth; upper surface of disc covered with denticles, and tail usually without a spine (Ref. 5578). Blackish above, sometimes with white shoulder patches; white below, with grey edging on disc (Ref. 5578). Tail whiplike but short (Ref. 7251).

Mainly in near-shore waters, near coral and rocky reefs; sometimes found over deep water (Ref. 12951). Reported along productive coastlines with regular upwelling, oceanic island groups and offshore pinnacles and seamounts (Ref. 82755). Penetrates shallow muddy bays and the intertidal and occurs off river mouths (Ref. 9911). Pelagic (Ref. 58302). Occurs singly or in loose aggregations (Ref. 12951). Mainly plankton feeders, but may feed on small and moderate-sized fishes as well (Ref. 9911). Leaps out the water mainly in spring and autumn, possibly as part of mating behavior (Ref. 31742). Easily approached (Ref. 9911). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 6902). Commonly caught by tuna gillnet and harpoon fisheries. Utilized for its gill filter plates (very high value), meat, cartilage and skin (Ref.58048). Liver yields oil and skin used as abrasive (Ref. 6902). World's largest ray (Ref. 37816).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Vulnerable (VU) (A2abd+3bd+4abd)

Threat to humans

Harmless (Ref. 9911)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.7500 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.5 ±0.50 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=6; tmax=20; Fec=2)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Very high vulnerability (78 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Medium

Manta birostris (Walbaum, 1792)