Reef Manta Ray
Mobula alfredi
Sighting evidence at Manta Channel, Addu Atoll
Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC
Reef mantas are resident at Manta Channel year-round with a core group of approximately 15 identified individuals that are regularly seen at the cleaning stations regardless of monsoon season. Unlike their oceanic cousins they do not undertake long-distance migrations, instead patrolling a home range that encompasses the Addu Atoll reef system and its associated feeding and cleaning sites. Their cleaning behaviour at this site is among the most accessible viewing of any Maldivian cleaning station — the mantas circle at just 10 to 15 metres depth in crystal-clear water for extended periods, allowing thorough observation of the cleaning symbiosis.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Reef Manta Ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.