manta
n 1: a blanket that is used as a cloak or shawl
2: extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton
and small fishes; usually harmless but its size make it
dangerous if harpooned [syn: {manta}, {manta ray},
{devilfish}]
Manta \Man"ta\, n. [From the native name.] (Zool.)
The {manta ray}. See also {Cephaloptera} and {Sea devil}.
[1913 Webster]
manta ray \manta ray\ n.
An extremely large pelagic tropical ray of the family
{Mobulidae}, that feeds on plankton and small fishes. It is
usually harmless but its size (up to 20 feet across and up to
a ton in weight) make it dangerous if harpooned. Called also
{manta}, {sea devil} and {devilfish}. See also {Cephaloptera}
and {Sea devil}.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
Cephaloptera \Ceph`a*lop"te*ra\
(s[e^]f`[.a]*l[o^]p"t[-e]*r[.a]), n. [NL., fr. Gr. kefalh`
head + ptero`n wing.] (Zool.)
One of the generic names of the gigantic ray ({Manta
birostris}) of the family {Mobulidae}, known as {devilfish},
{sea devil}, {manta} and {manta ray}. It is common on the
coasts of South Carolina, Florida, and farther south, and is
sometimes found as far north as New York Bay. Some of them
grow to enormous size, becoming twenty feet of more across
the body, and weighing more than a ton.
[1913 Webster]