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What the sources say

Giant Oceanic Manta RayMobula birostris

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 54 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

NOAA Fisheries

Giant Manta Ray. NOAA Fisheries.

The page saysThe ocean's largest ray
The source saysThe giant manta ray is the world's largest ray
The page saysthree pairs of fins
The source saysmaking them the only vertebrate animals with three paired appendagesNote: NOAA calls the cephalic lobes "cephalic fins" elsewhere on the page, so the three paired appendages are fins
The page saysa wingspan of up to 26 feet
The source saysThe giant manta ray is the world's largest ray with a wingspan of up to 26 feet
The page sayscan dive past 1,000 metres
The source saysis capable of diving to depths exceeding 1,000 meters
The page saysTropical to temperate oceans worldwide
The source saysfound worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate bodies of water
The page saysfrom productive coastlines to oceanic islands and offshore seamounts
The source saysseasonal visitor along productive coastlines with regular upwelling, in oceanic island groups, and near offshore pinnacles and seamounts
The page saysKrill, copepods, mysids, shrimp and decapod larvae
The source saysManta rays primarily feed on planktonic organisms such as euphausiids, copepods, mysids, decapod larvae, and shrimpNote: krill is the common name for euphausiids
The page saysfunneled over its gill plates
The source sayscreating a funnel that pushes water and prey through their mouth and over their gill plates
The page saysTwo cephalic lobes help channel water into its mouth, making manta rays the only vertebrates with three paired appendages.
The source saystwo structures called cephalic lobes which extend and help to channel water into the mouth for feeding activities (making them the only vertebrate animals with three paired appendages)Note: scope: NOAA says manta rays (both species), not this species alone
The page saysThe Ocean's Biggest Ray
The source saysThe giant manta ray is the world's largest rayNote: heading paraphrases "largest" as "biggest"
The page saysthe largest ray species alive
The source saysThe giant manta ray is the world's largest ray
The page saysa disc width, the distance from wingtip to wingtip, of up to 26 feet (about 8 metres)
The source saysDisc width up to 26 feetNote: 26 ft converts to ~7.9 m, rounded to 8 m; the same page calls it a wingspan
The page saysa weight of up to 5,300 pounds (about 2,400 kilograms)
The source saysWeight Up to 5,300 poundsNote: 5,300 lb converts to ~2,404 kg, rounded to 2,400 kg; the same words appear in the body and FAQ 2
The page saysManta rays have been reported to live at least 45 years.
The source saysAlthough manta rays have been reported to live at least 45 years, not much is known about their growth and development.
The page saysTwo structures called cephalic lobes extend in front of its mouth and help channel water in while it feeds.
The source saysIn front of the mouth, they have two structures called cephalic lobes which extend and help to channel water into the mouth for feeding activities
The page saysNOAA Fisheries says they make manta rays the only vertebrates with three paired appendages.
The source saysmaking them the only vertebrate animals with three paired appendages
The page saysGiant manta rays are filter feeders.
The source saysThey are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton.
The page saysMantas hold their cephalic lobes in an "O" shape and open their mouths wide, pushing water and prey over their gill plates.
The source saysWhen feeding, mantas hold their cephalic fins in an “O” shape and open their mouths wide, creating a funnel that pushes water and prey through their mouth and over their gill plates.Note: NOAA uses both "cephalic lobes" and "cephalic fins" for the same structures
The page saysThey mainly eat krill, copepods, mysids, shrimp and decapod larvae, and some studies have noted small and moderately sized fish as well.
The source saysManta rays primarily feed on planktonic organisms such as euphausiids, copepods, mysids, decapod larvae, and shrimp, but some studies have noted their consumption of small and moderately sized fish as well.Note: krill is the common name for euphausiids
The page saysMantas also feed in chains with other mantas, or barrel roll, somersaulting over and over again.
The source saysManta rays use many different types of feeding strategies, such as barrel rolling (doing somersaults over and over again) and creating feeding chains with other mantas to maximize prey intake.
The page saysTagging studies show giant manta rays making dives of up to 200 to 450 metres, and they are capable of diving deeper than 1,000 metres.
The source saystagging studies have also shown that the species conducts dives of up to 200 to 450 meters and is capable of diving to depths exceeding 1,000 meters
The page saysThat diving may be influenced by the season and by prey shifting with the thermocline
The source saysThis diving behavior may be influenced by season and shifts in prey location associated with the thermocline.Note: the clause after it defines thermocline for readers and adds no claim about mantas
The page saysGiant manta rays tend to be solitary, but they gather at cleaning sites and to feed and mate.
The source saysAlthough the giant manta ray tends to be solitary, they aggregate at cleaning sites and to feed and mate.
The page saysGiant manta rays are found worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters.
The source saysThe giant manta ray is found worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate bodies of water
The page saysA migratory species, they make seasonal visits to productive coastlines with regular upwelling, oceanic island groups, and offshore pinnacles and seamounts.
The source saysThe giant manta ray is a migratory species and seasonal visitor along productive coastlines with regular upwelling, in oceanic island groups, and near offshore pinnacles and seamounts.
The page saysThe timing of those visits varies by region and seems to match the movement of zooplankton, currents, upwelling and water temperature.
The source saysThe timing of these visits varies by region and seems to correspond with the movement of zooplankton, current circulation and tidal patterns, seasonal upwelling, seawater temperature, and possibly mating behavior.
The page saysSlow to Breed, Slow to Recover
The source saysgiven their life history traits, particularly their low reproductive output, giant manta ray populations are inherently vulnerable to depletions, with low likelihood of recovery
The page saysManta rays have among the lowest birth rates of any sharks or rays
The source saysManta rays have among the lowest fecundity of all elasmobranchs (a subclass of cartilaginous fish)Note: elasmobranchs are the sharks and rays; fecundity paraphrased as birth rate
The page saysa female typically gives birth to only one pup every two to three years, and pregnancy is thought to last around a year
The source saystypically giving birth to only one pup every two to three years. Gestation is thought to last around a year.
The page saysNOAA Fisheries says that low reproductive output leaves giant manta ray populations inherently vulnerable to depletion, with a low likelihood of recovery.
The source saysgiven their life history traits, particularly their low reproductive output, giant manta ray populations are inherently vulnerable to depletions, with low likelihood of recovery
The page saysThe main threat is commercial fishing.
The source saysThe main threat to the giant manta ray is commercial fishing
The page saysGiant manta rays are both targeted and caught as bycatch in fisheries throughout their range
The source sayswith the species both targeted and caught as bycatch in a number of global fisheries throughout its range
The page saysmanta rays are particularly valued for their gill plates, which are traded internationally
The source saysManta rays are particularly valued for their gill plates, which are traded internationally.
The page saysNOAA Fisheries listed the species as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in 2018
The source saysIn 2018, NOAA Fisheries listed the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The page saysThe giant oceanic manta ray is the largest ray in the world.
The source saysThe giant manta ray is the world's largest ray
The page saysa disc width, wingtip to wingtip, of up to 26 feet (about 8 metres)
The source saysDisc width up to 26 feetNote: 26 ft converts to ~7.9 m, rounded to 8 m
The page saysMainly plankton. Manta rays primarily feed on krill, copepods, mysids, decapod larvae and shrimp, and some studies have noted small and moderately sized fish too.
The source saysManta rays primarily feed on planktonic organisms such as euphausiids, copepods, mysids, decapod larvae, and shrimp, but some studies have noted their consumption of small and moderately sized fish as well.Note: krill is the common name for euphausiids
The page saysThey hold their cephalic fins in an "O" shape and open their mouths wide, funneling water and prey over their gill plates.
The source saysWhen feeding, mantas hold their cephalic fins in an “O” shape and open their mouths wide, creating a funnel that pushes water and prey through their mouth and over their gill plates.
The page saysManta rays have been reported to live at least 45 years, though not much is known about their growth and development.
The source saysAlthough manta rays have been reported to live at least 45 years, not much is known about their growth and development.
The page saysThey breed slowly too: a female typically gives birth to only one pup every two to three years, and pregnancy is thought to last around a year.
The source saysManta rays have among the lowest fecundity of all elasmobranchs (a subclass of cartilaginous fish), typically giving birth to only one pup every two to three years. Gestation is thought to last around a year.
The page saysa filter feeder that barrel rolls to feed, doing somersaults over and over again
The source saysManta rays use many different types of feeding strategies, such as barrel rolling (doing somersaults over and over again)Note: vibe.reason; replaces "vast oceanic spatial depth", a place

Source
02

Marshall et al. 2022

Marshall et al. (2022). Mobula birostris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T198921A214397182.

The page saysEndangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).
The page saysthe IUCN Red List classifies it as Endangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).

Source
03

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Manta birostris. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysBuilt of Cartilage
The source saysthe entire skeleton is made of cartilage
The page saysA manta ray's entire skeleton is cartilage instead of bone, which allows a wide range of motion.
The source saysthe entire skeleton is made of cartilage, which allows for a wide range of motion
The page saysManta rays have no particular defences apart from their tough skin, but their size means they have few natural predators, although large sharks have been known to attack them.
The source saysManta rays have no particular anti-predator specializations other than their tough skin, but due to their size they do not have many natural predators. Large sharks have been known to attack manta rays.
The page saysA fish. Manta rays belong to the class Chondrichthyes, the cartilaginous fishes
The source saysOne of the distinct features of manta rays, and of the class Chondrichthyes , is that the entire skeleton is made of cartilageNote: Chondrichthyes is the class of cartilaginous fishes; the gloss defines the class
The page saystheir entire skeleton is made of cartilage instead of bone
The source saysthe entire skeleton is made of cartilage
The page saysTheir gills are on the underside of the body.
The source saysThe gills are located on the underside of the body.

Source
04

McClain et al. 2015

McClain et al. (2015). Sizing ocean giants: patterns of intraspecific size variation in marine megafauna. PeerJ.

The page saysAnecdotal reports go as high as 9.1 metres across.
The source saysThe giant manta ray, M. birostris, reaches disc widths (DW) of at least 7 m ( Newman, 1849 ; Bigelow & Schroeder, 1953 ) with anecdotal reports up to 9.1 m DW

Source
05

Burgess et al. 2018

Burgess et al. (2018). Novel signature fatty acid profile of the giant manta ray suggests reliance on an uncharacterised mesopelagic food source low in polyunsaturated fatty acids. PLOS ONE.

The page saysOff mainland Ecuador, giant mantas likely get most of their food from deep water offshore.
The source saysM . birostris were only observed feeding on 4% of encounters during peak aggregation time off mainland Ecuador (S2 Appendix), and likely get the majority of their diet from offshore mesopelagic sourcesNote: "deep water" glosses mesopelagic; the paper's own depths for mesopelagic zooplankton are 0-300 m (upper) and 500-1000 m (lower)
The page saysThey were seen feeding in only 4 percent of encounters there during peak aggregation time
The source saysM . birostris were only observed feeding on 4% of encounters during peak aggregation time off mainland Ecuador
The page saysan earlier chemical study estimated that, on average, 73 percent of their diet came from mesopelagic (deep-water) sources and 27 percent from surface zooplankton
The source saysprevious stable isotope data that estimated surface zooplankton sources on average contributed a small portion of dietary intake (27%) in comparison to mesopelagic sources (73%)Note: the paper cites this earlier stable isotope study (its ref 15) as work on M. birostris off mainland Ecuador: "Based on previous stable isotope work, which found that M . birostris off mainland Ecuador gain the majority of their diet from mesopelagic sources"; "chemical" glosses stable isotope

Source
06

Fish et al. 2018

Fish et al. (2018). Kinematics of swimming of the manta ray: three-dimensional analysis of open water maneuverability. Journal of Experimental Biology.

The page saysYet in 30 filmed slow, steady turns, the quickest fifth averaged about 43 degrees a second and the tightest fifth had a radius of about 2 metres, within the range of swimmers with rigid bodies.
The source saysData for 30 sequences of rays performing slow, steady turns showed the highest 20% of values for the turning rate and smallest 20% of turn radii were 42.65±16.66 deg s -1 and 2.05±1.26 m, respectively. Such turning maneuvers fall within the range of performance exhibited by swimmers with rigid bodies.Note: 42.65 deg/s rounds to about 43; the abstract names the species studied as the manta ray (Mobula birostris)

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.