Ceph·a·lop·te·ra n.  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.

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 Dev·il·fish n. Zool. (a) A huge ray (Manta birostris or  Cephaloptera vampyrus) of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic coasts. Several other related species take the same name. See Cephaloptera. (b) A large cephalopod, especially the very large species of Octopus and Architeuthis. See Octopus. (c) The gray whale of the Pacific coast. See Gray whale. (d) The goosefish or angler (Lophius), and other allied fishes. See Angler.

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 Manta birostris
      n : largest manta (to 22 feet across wings); found worldwide but
          common in Gulf of Mexico and along southern coasts of
          United States; primarily oceanic [syn: Atlantic manta]