Threats: Overfishing for their gill plates (used in traditional medicine) and meat is a major threat, as is habitat loss. Protection: They are listed as vulnerable and are protected by international treaties and national laws in many countries. Manta rays are large, cartilaginous fish known as the world's largest rays, characterized by their diamond-shaped bodies, wing-like pectoral fins, and wide mouths with cephalic lobes that funnel plankton into their mouths as they filter feed. #mantaray #f