Both of them belong to Elasmobranchii of Chondrichthyes, but Manta ray belongs to Manta genus of Rhinobatidae of Rhinobatiformes, while Skate belongs to Skate genus of Rajidae of Rajiformes. Because from the eye is not the same, so the difference is still relatively large, can be seen as two different fish.
Manta rays have a flat body, a wide head, and two head fins differentiated from pectoral fins on both sides. The pectoral fins are thicker, like wings. The dorsal fin is very small, the tail is thin and long, and some have one or more poisonous spines on the top. Its teeth are thin and numerous, and its gills are wide. The body of the ray is round or prismatic, the pectoral fin is very wide, from the tip of the snout to the tail, and the dorsal fin has two.
Manta rays mainly inhabit tropical and subtropical shallow sea areas, rarely staying on the bottom of the sea. Generally, they can be seen from the surface water layer near the coast to a depth of 120 meters. They are found in Fujian, Zhejiang, and the Yellow Sea in China. The distribution range of rays is much wider, from tropical to Arctic waters, and whether shallow or 2.7 km deep, China is mainly in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
Manta rays usually feed on plankton and small fish, usually near coral reefs, when swimming, the front fin can send food to the mouth, its gill rakers will filter out water, food left. Rays usually feed on bottom-dwelling animals, such as crabs and lobsters, and when they grow up, they can prey on mollusks such as squid.
