<P> The name "manta" is Portuguese and Spanish for mantle (cloak or blanket), a type of blanket - shaped trap traditionally used to catch rays . Mantas are known as "devilfish" because of their horn - shaped cephalic fins, which are imagined to give them an "evil" appearance . </P> <P> Manta rays are members of the order Myliobatiformes which consists of stingrays and their relatives . The genus Manta is part of the eagle ray family Myliobatidae, where it is grouped in the subfamily Mobulinae along with the Mobula devil rays . In 2017, an analysis of DNA--and, to a lesser degree, morphology--found that Mobula was paraphyletic with respect to the manta rays, and they recommended treating Manta as a junior synonym of Mobula . </P> <P> Mantas evolved from bottom - dwelling stingrays, eventually developing more wing - like pectoral fins . M. birostris still has a vestigial remnant of a sting barb in the form of a caudal spine . The mouths of most rays lie on the underside of the head, while in mantas they are right at the front . Manta rays and devil rays are the only ray species that have evolved into filter feeders . </P> <P> The scientific naming of mantas has had a convoluted history, during which several names were used for both the genus (Ceratoptera, Brachioptilon Daemomanta and Diabolicthys) and species (such as vampyrus, americana, johnii and hamiltoni). All were eventually treated as synonyms of the single species Manta birostris . The genus name Manta was first published in 1829 by Dr Edward Nathaniel Bancroft of Jamaica . The specific name birostris is ascribed to Johann Julius Walbaum (1792) by some authorities and to Johann August Donndorff (1798) by others . The name alfredi was first used by Australian zoologist Gerard Krefft, who named the manta after Prince Alfred . </P>

Do manta rays have barbs on their tails