News Animals

Manta rays have an unusual mouth filter that resists clogging

Instead of snagging in the filter, plankton ricochets toward the manta’s throat

Manta birostris

SMOOTH SWIMMER The giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) captures plankton by swimming with its mouth open. New research reveals just how the animal filters out a meal from a mouthful of seawater.

Steve Kajiura

By Laurel Hamers

- More than 2 years ago

Manta rays were built for speed — and to filter feed.