Reef Manta Ray

Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC

Reef mantas visit cleaning stations on the upper portions of Cape Nelson Wall, hovering patiently while wrasse remove parasites from their gill slits and skin — behaviors so predictable that local dive guides can anticipate when stations will be active. Each manta has a unique spot pattern on its underside that allows individual identification, and long-term studies at sites like Tufi are building population databases that document movement patterns, social relationships, and reproductive cycles across decade-long timeframes.