Frontiers in Marine Science (Sep 2018)
Research Priorities to Support Effective Manta and Devil Ray Conservation
- Joshua D. Stewart,
- Joshua D. Stewart,
- Fabrice R. A. Jaine,
- Fabrice R. A. Jaine,
- Amelia J. Armstrong,
- Asia O. Armstrong,
- Michael B. Bennett,
- Katherine B. Burgess,
- Katherine B. Burgess,
- Lydie I. E. Couturier,
- Donald A. Croll,
- Melissa R. Cronin,
- Mark H. Deakos,
- Christine L. Dudgeon,
- Daniel Fernando,
- Daniel Fernando,
- Daniel Fernando,
- Niv Froman,
- Elitza S. Germanov,
- Elitza S. Germanov,
- Martin A. Hall,
- Silvia Hinojosa-Alvarez,
- Jane E. Hosegood,
- Jane E. Hosegood,
- Tom Kashiwagi,
- Tom Kashiwagi,
- Betty J. L. Laglbauer,
- Nerea Lezama-Ochoa,
- Andrea D. Marshall,
- Frazer McGregor,
- Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara,
- Marta D. Palacios,
- Lauren R. Peel,
- Lauren R. Peel,
- Lauren R. Peel,
- Lauren R. Peel,
- Anthony J. Richardson,
- Anthony J. Richardson,
- Robert D. Rubin,
- Kathy A. Townsend,
- Stephanie K. Venables,
- Stephanie K. Venables,
- Guy M. W. Stevens
Affiliations
- Joshua D. Stewart
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Joshua D. Stewart
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- Fabrice R. A. Jaine
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
- Fabrice R. A. Jaine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Amelia J. Armstrong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Asia O. Armstrong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Michael B. Bennett
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Katherine B. Burgess
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Katherine B. Burgess
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, United States
- Lydie I. E. Couturier
- Université de Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, UMR 6539 LEMAR, Plouzané, France
- Donald A. Croll
- Coastal Conservation Action Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
- Melissa R. Cronin
- Coastal Conservation Action Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
- Mark H. Deakos
- Hawaii Association of Marine Education and Research, Lahaina, HI, United States
- Christine L. Dudgeon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Daniel Fernando
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- Daniel Fernando
- 0Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Daniel Fernando
- 1Blue Resources Trust, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Niv Froman
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- Elitza S. Germanov
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, United States
- Elitza S. Germanov
- 2Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Martin A. Hall
- 3Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Silvia Hinojosa-Alvarez
- 4Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Jane E. Hosegood
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- Jane E. Hosegood
- 5Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
- Tom Kashiwagi
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, United States
- Tom Kashiwagi
- 6Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, United States
- Betty J. L. Laglbauer
- 7Okeanos Research Centre of the University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- Nerea Lezama-Ochoa
- 8AZTI - Tecnalia Marine Research Divison, Pasaia, Spain
- Andrea D. Marshall
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, United States
- Frazer McGregor
- 2Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
- 9Tethys Research Institute, Milan, Italy
- Marta D. Palacios
- 0Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CICIMAR), La Paz, Mexico
- Lauren R. Peel
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- Lauren R. Peel
- 1The School of Biological Sciences and the Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Lauren R. Peel
- 2Save Our Seas Foundation –D'Arros Research Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
- Lauren R. Peel
- 3The Australian Institute of Marine Science, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Anthony J. Richardson
- 4Centre for Applications in Natural Resource Mathematics (CARM), School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Anthony J. Richardson
- 5CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Robert D. Rubin
- 6Pacific Manta Research Group, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
- Kathy A. Townsend
- 7School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
- Stephanie K. Venables
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, United States
- Stephanie K. Venables
- 1The School of Biological Sciences and the Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Guy M. W. Stevens
- The Manta Trust, Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00314
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5
Abstract
Manta and devil rays are filter-feeding elasmobranchs that are found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical waters. Although relatively understudied for most of the Twentieth century, public awareness and scientific research on these species has increased dramatically in recent years. Much of this attention has been in response to targeted fisheries, international trade in mobulid products, and a growing concern over the fate of exploited populations. Despite progress in mobulid research, major knowledge gaps still exist, hindering the development of effective management and conservation strategies. We assembled 30 leaders and emerging experts in the fields of mobulid biology, ecology, and conservation to identify pressing knowledge gaps that must be filled to facilitate improved science-based management of these vulnerable species. We highlight focal research topics in the subject areas of taxonomy and diversity, life history, reproduction and nursery areas, population trends, bycatch and fisheries, spatial dynamics and movements, foraging and diving, pollution and contaminants, and sub-lethal impacts. Mobulid rays remain a poorly studied group, and therefore our list of important knowledge gaps is extensive. However, we hope that this identification of high priority knowledge gaps will stimulate and focus future mobulid research.
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