Compilation of 6 sketchbook pages of drawings of animals in pen, including the Cassowary (red), Manta Ray (blue), Pig (orange), Capuchin Monkey (green), Adelie Penguin (purple), and Shiba Inu (pink).

Compilation of 6 sketchbook pages of drawings of animals in pen, including the Cassowary (red), Manta Ray (blue), Pig (orange), Capuchin Monkey (green), Adelie Penguin (purple), and Shiba Inu (pink).

Distinct colouration of manta ray species. Dorsal and ventral colouration pattern of Mobula birostris a, d, Mobula alfredi b, e, and Mobula yarae c and f. Through a careful combination of genetic studies and physical comparisons, researchers showed that this species forms a distinct evolutionary lineage. It has unique features, including a striking V-shaped mark behind its gills, a special kind of skin denticle shaped like a star, and a small residual spine embedded near its tail. These traits, along with its DNA, make it unmistakably different from other known manta rays. The newly Atlantic Manta Ray Mobula yarae lives only in the Atlantic coast of the Americas, and seems to prefer warm coastal and estuarine waters. Juveniles have been spotted along the Amazon coast, in Florida, and around the oceanic islands of Brazil. Adults, on the other hand, are more common around the Yucatán Peninsula and the southeastern United States. Sadly, this new species is already facing serious threats. It is often caught by accident in fishing gear, hit by boats, tangled in lines, and exposed to growing coastal pollution. These dangers are made worse by the fact that Mobula yarae looks so much like other manta rays, making it difficult to protect unless it is properly identified.

Distinct colouration of manta ray species. Dorsal and ventral colouration pattern of Mobula birostris a, d, Mobula alfredi b, e, and Mobula yarae c and f. Through a careful combination of genetic studies and physical comparisons, researchers showed that this species forms a distinct evolutionary lineage. It has unique features, including a striking V-shaped mark behind its gills, a special kind of skin denticle shaped like a star, and a small residual spine embedded near its tail. These traits, along with its DNA, make it unmistakably different from other known manta rays. The newly Atlantic Manta Ray Mobula yarae lives only in the Atlantic coast of the Americas, and seems to prefer warm coastal and estuarine waters. Juveniles have been spotted along the Amazon coast, in Florida, and around the oceanic islands of Brazil. Adults, on the other hand, are more common around the Yucatán Peninsula and the southeastern United States. Sadly, this new species is already facing serious threats. It is often caught by accident in fishing gear, hit by boats, tangled in lines, and exposed to growing coastal pollution. These dangers are made worse by the fact that Mobula yarae looks so much like other manta rays, making it difficult to protect unless it is properly identified.