Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
Sighting evidence at João Valentin, Boa Vista
Photo: Programa Marino del Golfo de California · CC BY-NC
Oceanic manta rays visit João Valentin pinnacle between March and June as the upwelling peaks and concentrates the zooplankton layers they depend on, sometimes approaching cleaning stations at 10 to 15 m where small wrasse pick parasites from their cephalic fins and gill plates. Individuals with wingspans exceeding 4 m have been photographed here, and the Cape Verde population is genetically distinct from both Atlantic and Indo-Pacific populations according to recent mark-recapture studies. Encounters are unpredictable but operators report mantas on a meaningful proportion of early-morning dives during peak season.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Oceanic Manta Ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.