Young Caribbean manta rays (Mobula yarae) often travel with small groups of other fish near the coast of South Florida. Palm Beach County is a known nursery where juvenile mantas are common.
A team from the Marine Megafauna Foundation and the University of Miami studied video recorded between 2016 and 2021 to learn which species use the mantas and where they gather on the animals. The most common companions were remoras and fish important to local fisheries, such as jacks and cobia. Fish often gathered near the mantas’ gills, eyes, wings and tail.
Because the area is busy with boats and fishing, researchers recommend slowing down where mantas feed and using careful boating and fishing practices to reduce harm.
Difficult words
- nursery — a place where young animals live
- juvenile — a young animal not yet adult
- remora — a small fish that attaches to larger animalsremoras
- gill — an organ fish use to breathe in watergills
- fishery — work or industry that catches fishfisheries
- recommend — to say that something is a good idea
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why should people slow down their boats where mantas feed?
- What kinds of fish were seen with the mantas in the study?
- What can fishermen do to reduce harm to juvenile mantas?
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