Manta Ray vs Stingray: What's the Difference?
Mantas belong to the same order as stingrays; they filter-feed on plankton. The manta ray is huge; the stingray is large.
Quick answers
They differ on 2 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous, awake when.
| Question | Manta ray | Stingray |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Fish | Fish |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? differs | No | Can be |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Daytime | Day & night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | In places | In places |
At a glance
| Question | Manta ray | Stingray |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Oceans | Oceans, Rivers |
| Habitat differs | Open ocean, Coast | Coast, Open ocean, Rivers & lakes |
| Size differs | Huge | Large |
| Length differs | Up to 7 m across (giant manta) | – |
| Legs | None | None |
| Covered in | Skin | Skin |
| Lives differs | In groups | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 40–50 years | 15–25 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Manta ray
Three species of huge rays of warm seas, with triangular fins and horn-shaped flaps by the mouth. They filter-feed on plankton and have one of the highest brain-to-body ratios of any fish.
Everything on the manta ray page
Stingray
About 220 species of flat, cartilaginous fish with a venomous barbed stinger on the tail. They are common in warm coastal seas worldwide, and some live in rivers.
Everything on the stingray page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.