Ray

Avg. speed

3 kn

Rays range from gentle giants to bottom-dwelling ambushers, and the group is generally harmless to boats. Manta rays are graceful filter feeders that strain plankton and krill from the water, can reach wingspans of around seven metres, and sometimes leap dramatically clear of the surface. Stingrays, by contrast, lie hidden on the seabed and carry a venomous barb in the tail, which is only a hazard if one is stepped on in the shallows. Mantas are thought to be among the most intelligent of all fish, with the largest brains relative to body size of any fish species.