How many kinds of manta are there?
Manta rays belong to the taxonomic family Mobulidae. This family contains eleven species of plankton eating rays. Within this family there are two genera, Mobula and Manta and more specifically within the genus manta there are two species, Manta birostris (the giant oceanic manta) and Manta alfredi (the resident reef manta). These two species have much in common, but a few important differences in life history exist between the two. These are important to note as they have very different implications for the management and conservation of these species. Whilst the main focus of the work of the Manta Trust is the two known manta species we are also trying to improve knowledge and understanding of the nine species of mobula.