Giant Manta Rays Dive to 1,250 Meters to Calibrate Ocean Navigation, Study Finds

Manta Rays Dive Way Deeper Than We Thought – Up To 1.2 Kilometers – To Explore The Seas

It is thought they use these dives to learn about navigation and the water conditions.

Manta rays plunge 4,000 feet to chart long journeys across oceans

The new work involved recording 2,705 data tag-days to investigate the deep-diving behavior in 24 oceanic manta rays for over a decade.

Manta Rays dive deep for directions - ABC listen

With a huge wingspan and gentle movements, Manta Rays captivate divers and ocean-lovers.

Manta rays go to extremes to build mental maps of the ocean

Giant oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris). Credit: MV Erdmann Giant oceanic manta rays, the largest species of ray, glide thousands of kilometres across vast, featureless stretches of open ocean between the tropical and subtropical habitats they call home. Now, an international collaboration of researchers in Peru, Indonesia and New Zealand have revealed they might be diving to extreme depths to better navigate after moving away from the coast.…

World's largest rays may be diving to extreme depths to build mental maps of vast oceans

Many marine species are no strangers to the depths of the oceans. Some animals, like certain sharks, tuna, or turtles, routinely perform extreme dives, whereas for other species, such behavior has been observed less frequently.

Deep-diving manta rays are retrieving directions from nature’s Google Maps

Scientists have found that oceanic manta rays routinely make extreme dives of more than 1,200 meters – three-quarters of a mile – but it's not to feed, nor is it happening everywhere in deep water. Instead, the mantas are calibrating their own kind of Google Maps as soon as they find themselves out beyond the continental shelf.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Murdoch University, Rays, Fish, Continental, Ocean, Marine Biology, Beha…