Rare Pink Manta-Ray Spotted Near Australia’s Lady Elliot Island

by Katherine J. Wu/Smithsonianmag.com

Just in time for the rosiest holiday of the year, another diver has snapped a rare photo of Inspector Clouseau, the world’s only known pink manta ray.

First spotted lurking in the waters off Australia’s Lady Elliot Island in late 2015, the 11-foot male fish—cheekily named for the detective in the Pink Panther franchise—has been glimpsed only a handful of times since, reports Bethany Augliere for National Geographic. So rare are the sightings that Kristian Laine, the photographer behind Clouseau’s most recent close-up, was certain the ray’s coloration was an artifact of malfunctioning camera equipment.

“At first I was very confused,” Laine tells Angela Heathcote at Australian Geographic. “I actually thought my strobes were playing up.”

Clouseau was concealed by seven other male manta rays, all flashing more typical white undersides. According to Australian Geographic, the fishy octet had assembled to vie for the attention of a nearby female—an elaborate courtship ritual that typically involves a lady ray releasing pheromones into the water before zooming away, triggering a train of males into giving chase.

DISCLOSURES: All content herein is owned by author exclusively.  Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images within are full responsibility of author and NOT VT.

About VT - Read Full Policy Notice - Comment Policy

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

1 COMMENT

  1. Evolution is one of the many lies we’ve been taught. In two hundred years scientists have found no intermediary forms, and so we hear of big jumps, which must have taken place but are not in the fossil record, and a big word, “punctuated equilibrium” is employed. See the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation and Hugh Owen on youtube, e.g. youtube dot com/watch?v=wY4KBrym-JU&t=13s