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Manta Mating Train Video – Mating Ritual in Komodo
A normal manta encounter is usually fairly relaxed; these gentle giants glide into a cleaning station or hover effortlessly in a current feeding while divers hunker down to watch, but this encounter was something else entirely. These mantas seemed to be showing off and chasing one particular manta, which we realized was a female. They were so frenzied one male even whacked a snorkeler on the head as he flew by in pursuit of the female he was courting, jockeying to get back into position in the manta mating train.
From what scientists have been able to gather, it is believed that this part of the mating ritual is a form of “testing the suitability of the males.” During the manta mating train, the female will perform complex maneuvers such as barrel rolls, twisting, sharp turns and even jumping out of the water so the female is able to identify the superior males. It is also a chance for the males to compete with each other. At the same time, males will try to position themselves on her back, using their cephalic fins to pat her head.
This video, taken aboard Adelaar Liveaboard Cruises at Karang (aka Takat) Makassar in Komodo National Park last December (2015) is a testament to “being in the right place at the right time”. Although this group was snorkeling, the site is just as reliable for manta sightings on scuba. It’s not uncommon to see aggregations of 20+ mantas.
During a recent event at Crystal Divers in Bali, we attended a talk about mantas given by Elitza Germanov (Ellie) from the Marine Megafauna Foundation. We described our video to Ellie and watched a short clip of the manta mating train behavior, and were excited to realize that the what the guests aboard Adelaar Cruises saw that day was indeed part of the manta mating ritual and a once in a lifetime encounter.
It was only recently, in 2008 that Dr. Andrea Marshall from MMF determined that all mantas were not the same. Their coloration and patterns, although similar, have distinct differences. Working with photos, among other things, Andrea came up with a theory that there are not one but two species of mantas. Through her studies “the genus was recently re-evaluated and split into two species, the Reef Manta Ray (Manta alfredi) and the Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris) (Marshall et al. 2009)”.[4] That’s right, only 7 years ago a species as large as the Giant manta ray was discovered, described and named!
Manta Alfredi or Reef Manta
Manta Birostris or Oceanic Manta
And to top it off, “Having already highlighted the existence of a putative third species of Manta in 2009, Dr. Marshall’s team is preparing to formally describe a third species… “[1], thought to primarily roam the Caribbean.
Black mantas (Melanistic) are seen frequently in Indonesia and the west coast of the Americas, but according to Ellie these are not common in other areas of the world. Studies show that about 10% of the manta population in Komodo is black while in Raja Ampat the number is thought to be closer to 40%. Even rarer than the black are the white mantas (leucistic) manta, these mantas are almost entirely white. According to Andrea Marshall, these color morphs occur in both species of manta.
Manta Fun Facts
1-Mantas Have Teeth
Since mantas are filter feeders, scientist aren’t sure why they have teeth, but one theory is that they are used to bite the females wing to hold her in place while mating.
2-Distinct Marking
Much like human fingerprints, mantas have distinct markings from birth that change little over the years. These blotches and patterns help researchers identify individual mantas. If you have a photo of a manta and want it identified, go to Manta Trust and upload your photo or video.
3-Mating Leaves the Male Scarred for Life
Once a male has mated his claspers also become scarred through damage sustained during copulation; the female’s cloaca actually has barbs which hold the male’s clasper in place during copulation, but rip it as he pulls free afterwards (ouch!).[2]
4-Manta rays gestation periods are thought to last over 1 year and usually produce one live pup, sometimes two.[2]
5-Like most sharks, mantas must constantly swim forward because they need a continuous flow of water over their gill-rakers to get oxygen, this is called ram ventilation. Often times you will see them “cheat” by “hovering” in a strong current flow with their mouths open feeding and getting the water pushed through their gill-rakers.
6-Oceanic mantas (Manta birostris) still has a vestigial remnant of a sting barb in the form of a caudal spine…Oddly enough reef mantas (Manta alfredi) have evolved more and do not have this any longer.
7-They have one of the highest brain-to-body mass ratios of all fish.[3]
8-Manta rays may live for as long as 50 years.[3]
9-Giant Mantas can travel 70km in a single day.
After listening to Ellie’s informative talk it reinforced the fact that there is still much to learn about manta rays, and as a dive operator it’s important to help document and preserve these amazing creatures. Komodo National Park has two sites that reliably offer good manta encounters. For more information on diving with these gentle giants contact Adelaar Cruises or to help with manta ray research, identification or monetary support contact the Marine Megafauna Foundation.
Sources: 1-Marine Megafauna Foundation, 2-Manta Trust, 3-Wikipedia, 4-IUCN Redlist
For additional information on diving in and around Komodo, check out our other videos, articles and funfacts at www.adelaar-cruises.com
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