The funnels on either side of their mouths recall the horns of the Devil, and indeed an alternative name for them is "devil ray". It's also fairly common for manta rays and related species in particular to be portrayed as not simply creepy, but as downright demonic. Doesn't help stingrays have venomous spines, also a hallmark of scariness in pop culture, and bury themselves in the seafloor to leave only their eyes and tail visible. Even when they aren't actually shown as threatening, stingrays and manta rays are popular Animal Motifs for underwater-themed villains, likely because of their aforementioned resemblance to a Black Cloak or Ominous Opera Cape. As such, they tick a lot of the boxes that traditionally mark animals as "scary". Their winglike fins call to mind a black cloak and make them look like the underwater version of a bat. It's easy to see why these fish are often portrayed as creepy and menacing. While not as outwardly dangerous as sharks (to which they are distantly related), their bizarre appearance has captured the imagination of many storytellers. The creatures commonly known as rays (and scientifically known as Batoidea), which include both the stingrays and the manta rays, are a popular choice. Sometimes, however, writers can get tired of them and might want another, more unique underwater threat. Sharks are usually the go-to creatures when writers want to include a threatening sea animal in their stories.
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