![]() birostris, occurs in all three major oceans ( Marshall et al., 2020), often observed in pelagic environments, such as offshore seamounts, pinnacles or oceanic islands ( Marshall, Compagno & Bennett, 2009 Fig. The more widely distributed oceanic manta ray, M. ![]() alfredi, is generally observed in nearshore areas or in the vicinity of continental coastlines, exhibiting small home ranges and a high degree of site fidelity ( Couturier et al., 2011), albeit exceptions have been observed, such as a reef manta ray recorded at Cocos Island nearly 6,000 km from the nearest confirmed sighting ( Arauz et al., 2019). (2020) additionally presents evidence of a putative third manta ray species in the Gulf of Mexico, indicating potential further taxonomic changes to the Mobula genus. Interestingly, a recent study by Hosegood et al. Speciation has occurred relatively recently in evolutionary terms, and the close genetic relationship is likely a result of post-divergence gene flow through hybridisation ( Kashiwagi et al., 2012). The authors noted that by solely sequencing mitochondrial DNA, both species were indistinguishable, but when incorporating nuclear DNA in combination with morphological data, results indeed supported the proposed taxonomic changes. (2018) sequenced mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA of the complete taxon, and based on the results proposed moving both manta ray species from the genus Manta to the genus Mobula, changing their nomenclature to Mobula alfredi and Mobula birostris. Nine years later, a phylogenetic study by White et al. ![]() This changed after a review by Marshall, Compagno & Bennett (2009), when a second species, Manta alfredi, was resurrected based on morphological and meristic data. Until 2009, the scientific consensus only included one manta ray species ( Manta birostris). The two recognised species, Mobula birostris (oceanic manta ray) and Mobula alfredi (reef manta ray) belong to the family Mobulidae together with seven other ray species. Manta rays ( Mobula spp.) are large and charismatic zooplanktivorous elasmobranchs found in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the world ( Marshall et al., 2020 Marshall et al., 2019:). birostris and the recent reclassification from Vulnerable to Endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species, the expansion of their known distribution range to Fijian waters and the recurrence of individuals over consecutive years in the same location adds valuable information for the development of effective and data-driven conservation strategies. In light of the global extinction risk of M. ![]() birostris individuals from two sites and discuss our findings in the context of local environmental parameters and other recorded sightings in the South Pacific region. We provide photographic identification of ten M. Two additional oceanic manta ray individuals were recorded in the Yasawa Island Group in the west of Fiji while passing through and foraging in a channel between Drawaqa and Naviti Island in April and September 2020. Unique ventral identification patterns could be obtained for nine individuals, and all nine individuals have been re-sighted since first identification, with one individual being documented in 2018, 2020, 20. Subsequently, three more individuals were sighted in December 2018, two individuals in July 2020, at least six individuals were observed in November 2021, and eight individuals in May/June 2022, all foraging in the same geographical area. In November 2018, two individuals were sighted foraging in Laucala Bay, a large lagoon adjacent to Suva, the capital city of Fiji. First-photographic-evidence-of-oceanic-manta-rays-Mobula-birostris-at-two-locations-in-the-Fiji-islands-peerj-13883_2018 Download Introduction
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