Manta Rays Give Free Rides to Hitchhikers, Protecting Other Coastline Species
Manta rays are gentle giants that attract thousands of spectators each year, all hoping to catch a glimpse of them gliding through the tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea. Often, they are not alone. Smaller fish are frequently seen following, hidden under the broad wings of the rays, as if taking a free ride.
By recording manta rays and their hitchhikers in breeding grounds around Palm Beach County in South Florida for nearly a decade, researchers from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Sciences and the Marine Megafauna Foundation have uncovered a deeper story. They describe in their study published in Marine Biology how manta rays not only tolerate these mates, but actively support species critical to Florida’s marine ecosystems and fisheries by providing mobile shelters, feeding opportunities, and even places to mate.
Boat collisions and fishing-related injuries already pose a risk to young manta rays, and broader pressures such as ocean warming and habitat loss are adding to the pressure. But when juvenile mantas are injured, it’s not just the rays that suffer, but the entire marine community that depends on them.
Gentle giants under threat
Manta rays are among the ocean’s most captivating inhabitants. Highly intelligent and feeding on large quantities of zooplankton, they give birth to young and thrive in subtropical and tropical waters around the world. Their graceful movements fuel a multi-million dollar global tourism industry.
But as humans increasingly share coastal waters with these “angels of the sea,” we are also reshaping their environments. That’s why the Marine Megafauna Foundation has closely documented how human activities are affecting manta rays, particularly in South Florida’s breeding habitats. Collisions with boats and entanglements in fishing gear constitute a real and growing danger, particularly for juveniles.
Beyond understanding how manta rays cope with habitat loss, ocean warming and direct human impacts, researchers also want to learn more about their social lives, particularly which species choose to associate with manta rays and what they gain from this relationship.
Learn more: Manta rays dive nearly 4,000 feet into the depths of the ocean – not to feed, but to orient themselves
Who hitches a ride with manta rays?
The study focused on young Caribbean manta rays (Mobula Yarae), some measuring up to 20 feet in diameter. Researchers analyzed 465 videos collected between 2016 and 2021, tracking which and how many fish swam alongside mantas and where they preferred to congregate.
The analysis found that the rays’ mates typically stayed near their gills, eyes, wings and tail and primarily belonged to four families of teleost fish, most commonly sucker fish, which cling to larger marine animals with their suckling dorsal fin. Other frequent riders included jacks and cobia, economically important species for Florida fisheries.
“Our results suggest that these species may be interdependent and form long-lasting and relatively stable relationships, creating mobile ecosystems where fish can mature, feed or mate,” said Catherine Macdonald, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy in a press release.
Protecting manta rays and the species that depend on them
Researchers emphasize that protecting mantas also means protecting the many species that depend on them.
“Understanding the ecological interactions between species is essential to the conservation of the marine environment,” Macdonald added.
“Slowing the pace in areas where mantas are feeding near the surface is a simple but crucial step toward protecting these young rays,” study co-author Jessica Pate of the Marine Megafauna Foundation said in the press release. “Responsible boating and fishing can help protect these species and their critical ecological interactions over the long term. »
Ultimately, the results highlight manta rays as living, mobile habitats that help maintain biodiversity along Florida’s coasts.
Learn more: The rarest ocean animal and 6 other elusive creatures that lurk mysteriously below
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