Picture of the Day: Giant Manta Ray Filter Feeding
In this incredible underwater capture by Arturo de Frias Marques, we see a giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) filter feeding off the coast of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Giant Oceanic Manta Rays are the largest rays in the world and can grow to an astonishing width of 9 m (30 ft).
According to Wikipedia:
They are filter feeders and consume large quantities of zooplankton in the form of shrimp, krill, and planktonic crabs. An individual manta may eat about 13% of its body weight each week. When foraging, it usually swims slowly around its prey, herding the planktonic creatures into a tight group before speeding through the bunched-up organisms with its mouth open wide.