Manta Ray in the Sand?!?

[DandyDon]

I'm still pretty new at all this, and I know well that I don't know everything, so y'all help me out here, will ya'...

I just returned from a nice little LDS sponsored trip to Cozumel, and it's only once there that I learned that the young lady leading the group was only PADI Rescue certiried, with I think a couple of ocean trips to her experience, and this her first time to lead. I might be wrong about some of that, though, as she was also resistent to questions from me.

She came back to the boat going on about the "huge Manta in the sand," which I immediatley advised was not likely. We saw lots of Southern Rays in the sand, and a few Eagles swimming into the current, so I'll accept that she may have seen the mother of all Southern Rays in the sand, but not a Manta.

I guess it could have been an Eagle. Found this elsewhere: "Like other rays, such as the stringray, eagle rays feed on mollusks and crustaceans. Therefore, eagle rays may also be seen sometimes in the sandy shallows throughout Cayman when they go to grub with their flexible snout in the sand bottom for food." Anyone ever seen one of them get in the sand?

Anyone want to correct me before I correct her...?

thanks, don

 

[Scubakevdm]

Don, I tend to agree with you. Mantas are considered oceanic and cruise near the surface filtering plankton from the water. Spotted eagle rays generally cruise as well, however will stop to dig in the sand for mollusks. I work as a reef guide in SE Florida where we are fortunate enough to see both mantas and eagle rays occasionally. I have seen both mid water, even out of the water, but not in the sand. Perhaps it was dead.

 

[orangeBloke]

Have a read of the Manta FAQ at http://elasmo-research.org/education/topics/lh_manta_faq.htm

It doesn't say that they won't be found lying on the sand but the evidence seems to suggest that they tend to be free swimming and evolved away from their sand dwelling relatives

 

[archman]

I thought I saw a mermaid once...

Hard to belive anyone could confuse a manta ray with anything else, 'cept devil rays of course.

Being planktivores and pelagic, mantas have no business being on the bottom, unless they're dead. They do not sit still, or bury themselves.