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| Atlantic manta ray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| M. yarae near Isla Holbox, Mexico | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Myliobatiformes |
| Family: | Mobulidae |
| Genus: | Mobula |
| Species: | M. yarae |
| Binomial name | |
| Mobula yarae Bucair & Marshall, 2025 | |
The Atlantic manta ray (Mobula yarae) is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is the third manta ray species to be named, following the giant oceanic manta ray (M. birostris) and reef manta ray (M. alfredi), and one of at least nine extant species in the genus Mobula . With a maximum estimated size (disc width) of 5–6 metres (16–20 ft), the Atlantic manta ray is also among the largest rays, alongside the two other mantas. As suggested by its common name, the Atlantic manta ray occurs throughout the Atlantic Ocean, from the northeastern United States to southeastern Brazil, including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean islands. [1] [2]
Distinctions between the Atlantic populations of manta rays and M. birostris, which overlaps in range, have been recognized since at least 2009, but a formal specific name was not given until 2025. The specific name, yarae, honors Yara, the "mother of waters", a beautiful figure characterized as a chimaeric mermaid-like part woman, part fish in Guaraní and Tupi mythology. [1]
