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royalsocietypublishing.org
Manta Ray tails are not defensive and don't seem to be used for movement, so what are these very long tails for? A new paper looks at the tails of a related species and suggests they are part of the lateral line system that detects changes in water pressure that can alert them to movement of other animals such as predators and prey. The long length and certain physical features such as pore size and placement should allow for both greater sensitivity and the ability to filter out less important data.
Here's a less technical discussion of the paper's findings:
Scientists Finally Make Heads of Giant Stingray Tails
The long structures seen in manta rays and their relatives function as an early warning system, rather than a defensive weapon.
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