The Manta ray belongs to the Class Elasmobranchiomorphi. It is a close relative of the rays and skates. and is a cousin of the sharks. Like all other members of its family it has a cartilage skeleton. The Manta ray is a filter feeder and gets very large feeding mostly on plankton and small fish. As you can see. It propels itself throught the water by flapping the muscular wings on either side of its body.
The manta is a plankton feeder. It uses the cephalic fins on either side of its mouth to direct seawater down is throat where it is filtered through its gills. Water is expelled throught the 4 pairs of gill slits on its underside.

Click next to see one swimming