Manta Rays

Manta rays are large cartilaginous fish of the genus Mobula, known for their intelligence and graceful movement. Raja Ampat hosts both:Reef mantas (Mobula alfredi) — resident, smaller, typically observed at shallow cleaning stations where small cleaner wrasse remove parasites from their skin, gills, and mouths. Up to 20 individual mantas can queue at peak season.Oceanic mantas (Mobula birostris) — larger, more migratory, distinguished by the T-shaped marking on their dorsal side. Most reliably sighted at offshore seamounts in southern Misool where they visit cleaning stations alongside reef mantas — one of few sites in the world with both species together.