A manta ray is a huge, graceful fish that glides through tropical oceans like an underwater bird. Despite their enormous size (some have wingspans reaching 20 feet across), manta rays are gentle giants that feed on tiny plankton and small fish by swimming with their mouths wide open, filtering food from the water.

Manta rays belong to the same group as sharks and stingrays, but unlike their smaller stingray cousins, mantas don't have a venomous barb on their tails. They're completely harmless to humans. Their flat, diamond-shaped bodies have wing-like fins called pectoral fins that flap slowly up and down, making them look like they're flying through the water rather than swimming.

Divers who encounter manta rays often describe the experience as magical: these intelligent creatures sometimes seem curious about humans, circling back to investigate rather than fleeing. Scientists have discovered that each manta ray has a unique pattern of spots on its belly, like a fingerprint, which helps researchers identify and study individual rays over many years.