manta
/ˈmantə
/noun
A devil ray that occurs in tropical seas and may reach very great size.
- Manta birostris, family Mobulidae.
- The sight that greeted me the first time I snorkelled off the beach in Eriyadu was a patrolling eagle ray, and mantas, turtles and small blacktip sharks are almost commonplace.
- The harvest of mantas in eastern Indonesia has increased exponentially in just a few years.
Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin American Spanish, literally 'large blanket'.