Breakthrough Discovery: Scientists Uncover the Secrets of Giant Stingray Tails

Manta rays are fascinating creatures. They have large, hornlike facial fins and diamond-shaped bodies that can reach almost 30 feet wide. But what really sets them apart is their long, whip-like tail, which can be as long as their entire body.

For a long time, scientists wondered why these rays have such long tails. Unlike stingrays, which use their tails for defense, manta rays do not have venomous spines. They don’t swim using their tails either. Instead, researchers think these long tails might work like antennae, helping manta rays sense danger in the water.

A recent study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences looked at the tails of cownose rays, which are smaller cousins of mantas. The study found specialized structures in the tails that help detect movements and changes in the water, suggesting that other rays might use their tails similarly.

Júlia Chaumel, a marine biologist and one of the study’s authors, said, “The complexity inside the tail was super surprising. We had no idea that this huge structure had a sensorial function.”

While many stingrays stick close to the ocean floor, manta rays and their relatives usually swim in open waters. They glide through the sea by flapping their large, triangle-shaped fins and can travel great distances.

Matt Ajemian, a researcher studying sharks and rays, explains that most stingrays have shorter, muscular tails with venomous barbs for defense. In contrast, myliobatid rays, including mantas, have a very different tail structure that plays a crucial role in their survival and navigation in open water.