What Colors Are Manta Rays?

Manta rays can be found in all of the world's oceans except the Arctic. They are recognizable for their diamond-shaped bodies and the pectoral fins that propel them through the water. Most rays are brown or blue, but they also occur in two morph variations.

  1. Dorsal Coloration

    • Manta rays are typically dark brown, grayish blue, or black on their dorsal, or upper, sides. The edges of the ray's body can be paler than the rest of it. Some rays may have small white markings, though the upper side of the body remains predominantly darker colored. The coloring makes the rays difficult to spot when seen from above because they blend into the color of the water surrounding them.

    Ventral Coloration

    • The ventral, or belly, side tends to be a paler white color. Some rays have black spots or blotches on their undersides as well. These patterns are so distinctive that scientists are able to use them to identify and track individual mantras.

    Black Color Morph

    • The black color morph is present in some manta rays along America's West coast and in the Indo-Pacific Oceans. The black morph manta is black on both sides, except for a blaze of white on the ventral side. As of 2011, it is not known why this variation occurs.

    White Color Morph

    • Rays that lack pigment can appear white on both sides. These morph rays are not albino since they do have some pigment in their eyes, and their eyes are not red. The white color morph is far less common than the black color morph. As of 2011, only 20 or so had been seen in the wild.