This week in Lembongan… As night falls, the ninja manta rays glide through the darkness and jump between the shadows of the day. Around 10% of the manta population in Lembongan are melanistic morphs (A.K.A ninja mantas, Black mantas)
Normally a very rare sighting, Lembongan is blessed with such a high percentage of these dark and mysterious creatures. It is not only the black colour morph mantas that we get in lembongan but we also get white colour morphs (Leucistic). A very rare sight, with only one ever being seen in the area. Out of the hundreds of species of sharks and rays, only manta rays are true ninjas, by being the only ones with the melanistic morph. This is caused by an unusual darkening of body tissues caused by excessive production of the dark pigment melanin. Here in Lembongan, if you watch in the shadows you do have a chance to seem them. During times of mating, the black manta is seen more often, some girl mantas say they are the better lovers…
Besides the crazy colour morphs that we have been seeing this week, our divers have also had the chance to see; big sea snakes, big box fish, turtles, orangutan crabs, molas, loin fish, big puffer fish, whale sharks, nudibranch, cleaner shrimp and frog fish.
Amazing !!!