Why do Manta Rays have different color patterns?
Mantas vary enormously in color pattern on the shoulders and, especially, the undersurface of the body. It is not known what functions — if any — these differences hold for Mantas, but they are very useful for researchers in distinguishing one individual from another. The shape and extent of the shoulder patches, the precise pattern of spots and blotches on the undersurface, and the lifetime pattern of scars form a pattern of markings as unique as a human fingerprint. Manta markings can be photographed and filed in an organized way to allow cataloguing all individual Mantas in a given area. There are also intriguing regional differences in Manta color patterns. For example, specimens from the eastern Pacific often feature dusky to mostly black undersurfaces, while those from the western Pacific are typically snow white underneath.
