school of fish in background
Skip to page Header home about your sanctuary visiting your sanctuary education science management news and events protecting resources image library document library Get Involved advisory council NOAA logo - a circle with a stylized seabird in flight; background is dark blue above the bird and light blue below the bird.

blank spaceFind us on Facebook

     Follow @fgbnms on Twitter

     


Image Library

Skip to Main Content
Image Library Home    Species Lists    Maps
Videos    Manta Catalog    Monitoring
Historic Expeditions    Secrets of the Gulf Expedition

MANTA CATALOG PREVIEW IMAGES - SPOTS

The Manta Catalog consists of a series of images and sighting information for individual mantas that have been seen at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary or nearby banks.

Each manta ray has been placed in a category depending on its unique underbelly markings. However, some manta rays' markings might be interpreted differently by different people, so be sure to look at images in all categories to find the manta you are trying to identify.

This page includes images of mantas with spot-like markings on their undersides.

CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW TO VIEW
ADDITIONAL MANTA IMAGES

Button labeled "squares" that links to an image page of manta rays with square-like patternsindividual has square-like blotches

Button labeled "spots & squares" that links to an image page of manta rays with spot & square patternsindividual has a combinationof spots and square patterns

Button labeled "mostly black" that links to an image page of manta rays with mostly black undersidesindividual is predominantly black/gray with few other markings

Button labeled "mostly white" that links to an image page of manta rays with mostly white undersidesindividual is predominantly white with few other markings

Button labeled "tagged" that links to an image page of manta rays with acoustic tags on themindividual has a tag on its dorsal (top) side

Click on a picture below to see a larger image of the manta and information about sightings of that individual. All downloaded images should be credited to the person(s) listed with each photo. If an image lacks a photo credit, the photographer is not known.

Belly view of manta ray M1
Manta M1
September 1997
Belly view of manta ray M2
Manta M2
1993
Photo Credit: Jesse Cancelmo
Belly view of manta ray M3
Manta M3
Belly view of manta ray M4
Manta M4
June 1995
Photo Credit: Ferrell Cruise
Belly view of manta ray M7
Manta M7
1990
Photo Credit: John Embesi
Belly view of manta ray M9
Manta M9
December 1997
Photo Credit: Gittings/FGBNMS
Belly view of manta ray M12
Manta M12
1988
Photo Credit: Jesse Cancelmo
Belly view of manta ray M15
Manta M15
February 2000
Photo Credit: Kip Evans
Belly view of manta ray M16
Manta M16
February 2000
Photo Credit: Kip Evans
Belly view of manta ray M20
Manta M20
August 2006
Photo Credit: Neal Baltz
Belly view of manta ray M22
Manta M22
July 2008
Photo Credit: Sarah Davies
Belly view of manta ray M24
Manta M24
October 2006
Photo Credit: Christopher Parsons
Belly view of manta ray M29
Manta M29
January 2005
Photo Credit: Russ Wilkins

Belly view of manta M30
Manta M30
July 2009
Photos Credit: Neal Baltz

Belly view of manta ray M32
Manta M32
August 2007
Photo Credit: Sarah Davies
Belly view of manta ray M36
Manta M36
August 2004
Photo Credit: Andy Felth
Belly view of manta ray M38
Manta M38
October 2006
Photo Credit: Christoper Parsons
Belly view of manta ray M44
Manta M44
October 2004
Photo Credit: Lance Horn
Belly view of manta ray M47
Manta M47
October 2004
Photo Credit: Walt
Belly view of manta ray M49
Manta M49
September 2007
Photo Credit: Hickerson/FGBNMS
Belly view of manta ray M53
Manta M53
September 2001
Belly view of manta ray M56
Manta M56
Photo Credit: Dick Zingula
Belly view of manta ray M60
Manta M60
1990
Photo Credit: Jesse Cancelmo

Manta M62
Photo Credit: Russ Wilkins
Belly view of manta ray M64
Manta M64
August 2009
Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl
Belly view of manta ray M65
Manta M65
August 2009
Photo Credit: Neal Baltz
Belly view of manta ray M68
Manta M68
August 2009
Photo Credit: Neal Baltz
Belly view of manta ray M69
Manta M69
August 2009
Photo Credit: Neal Baltz

Belly view of manta ray M73
Manta M73
September 2010
Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl

Belly view of Manta Ray M75 swimming to the right
Manta M75
September 2011
Photo credit: Ryan Eckert

Belly view of Manta Ray M78 swimming to the right
Manta M78
August 2015
Photo credit: Marissa Nuttall
Belly view of Manta Ray M79 swimming to the right
Manta M79
September 2105
Photo credit: Beata Lerman
Belly view of Manta Ray M80 swimming to the right
Manta M80
September 2015
Photo credit: Beata Lerman
Belly view of Manta Ray M81 swimming away from the camera
Manta M81
September 2015
Photo credit: Beata Lerman
Belly view of Manta Ray M82 swimming to the left
Manta M82
July 2015
Photo credit: G.P. Schmahl
Belly view of Manta Ray M83 swimming to the left
Manta M83
August 2013
Photo credit: Emma Hickerson
Belly view of Manta M85 swimming to the right
Manta M85
September 2015
Photo credit: John Embesi
 

top of page



weather report observations cool stuff get wet


Juvenile blue tang (fish).  Bright yellow body with irridescent blue marking around eye and at top edge of dorsal fin.
   
National Marine Sanctuary logo - a stylized whale tail above waves