Scientists Uncover Giant Manta Ray Species That Could Hide a Surprise Twice the Size of Your Car Garage
Scientists believe the Atlantic manta ray may have split from the giant oceanic manta species relatively recently, providing a unique opportunity to study the evolution of manta rays.
The Identification Of The Atlantic Manta Ray Was 15 Years In The Making
Projeto Mantas do Brasil and Marine Megafauna Foundation databaseThe Atlantic manta ray is unique for its color variation and distinctive markings.
Marshall first saw what would become known as the Atlantic manta ray off the eastern coast of Mexico 15 years ago. She had spent years studying the other two known species of manta rays, and realized this particular ray didn’t look like either one.
After the initial sighting, Marshall spent years studying different manta rays and their subtle colors, patterns, sizes, and preferred habitats. Genetic testing of a dead manta ray that washed ashore in 2017 eventually confirmed Marshall’s theory: There was indeed a third species of manta ray out there.
Marshall and her team of scientists published a paper in July 2025 describing the new species, officially named Mobula yarae, in Environmental Biology of Fishes.
The Atlantic manta ray can grow to between 16 and 20 feet wide, however scientists have mainly studied younger rays of the species, which tend to be smaller in size. They share a similar habitat as that of the reef manta rays, which are primarily found in coastal waters.
The M. yarae favors Atlantic tropical and subtropical waters. It lives along the east coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, all the way down to the coast of Brazil.
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