Small manta rays.

[Ana]

For the last decade I've been in Panama City Beach;I've seen all kind of cool creatures underwater and jumping off while on boats, but for the past week I'm seen small manta rays right at the shore in 2 feet of water, they come early morning, mid day, at sunset, anytime, I see them in pairs or threes, seems like the are surfing and playing, sometimes jumping vertically clear off the water.

Is this a seasonal thing? or I just missed the previous 11 years being here.

They are not spooked by people, wish they were. I saw a bunch off old farts this morning cornering them in the shallows in order to take some silly pictures.

 

[thankfulforlife]

i have never seen manta,jumping out of the water,but have seen a few times spotted eagle rays doing this...mind you,there are many things i have never seen before.....you sure they were manta's?

 

[supergaijin]

check out the mobula ray- they are basically mini-mantas. Eagle rays look pretty different u/w but from the surface it can be hard to tell.
mobula on the left, eagle ray on the right.

Both have been known to breach.

 

[thankfulforlife]

check out the mobula ray- they are basically mini-mantas. Eagle rays look pretty different u/w but from the surface it can be hard to tell.
View attachment 136351mobula on the left, eagle ray on the right.View attachment 136352

Both have been known to breach.

so is a mobula ray a manta,or does it look like a manta?

 

[pamawi]

We're been seeing the small rays all weekend in Gulf Shores too. They definitely had the cephalic lobes and pointy wings and no spots so I assumed baby mantas but might be a mobula. Never heard of them but it looked alot like the pic on the left. They were definitely jumping alot as we're the fish. We saw a 3-4 ft shark in the shallows yesterday too.

 

[thankfulforlife]

thanks supergajin for the link to mobula rays.....
there are some many beautiful natural things on this planet,the list must be billions.....

 

[tracydr]

check out the mobula ray- they are basically mini-mantas. Eagle rays look pretty different u/w but from the surface it can be hard to tell.
View attachment 136351mobula on the left, eagle ray on the right.View attachment 136352

Both have been known to breach.

Exactly what I was thinking. I've seen them jump and roll on the surface in Costa Rica. I thought for sure they were Manta Rays.

 

[Hetland]

Someone snapped photos of juvenile hammerheads in the kiddie pool in 2008 or 2009.


Cool pics - but, don't look if you're afraid of sharks - TripSmarter.Com Travel Forums

 

[turt1e]

I believe the rays you are seeing are called Lesser Devil Rays. Lesser devil ray - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia or Manta Rays: Devil Ray

I've been here in Panama City Beach now for most of September. and like you, have seen them just about every day that we have been on the beach. However, I have noticed them for quite a few years now, although the jumping out of the water has certainly been more frequent during this visit of ours. I've got a few pictures of them jumping and if I can find a good one I'll post it here.

 

[tstormdiver]

I saw them while walking the beach behind the motel this past week. Was Very cool! Tried to snorkel & photograh them, but they would have none of it.