Spotting the "small eyes": using photo-ID methodology to study a wild population of smalleye stingrays ( Megatrygon microps) in southern Mozambique

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 7; p. e7110
• Main Authors: Boggio-Pasqua, Atlantine, Flam, Anna L, Marshall, Andrea D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PeerJ. Ltd 11.06.2019; PeerJ, Inc; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: Archives & records; Biological research; Coastal waters; Coasts; Coral reefs; Dasyatidae; Ecology; Endangered & extinct species; Habitat; Identification; Marine Biology; Megatrygon microps; Methods; Mozambique; National parks; Parks; Photo-identification; Photographic equipment & supplies; Population; Population studies; Pregnant women; Scuba diving; Sharks; Smalleye stingray; Sphyrna tudes; Swimming; Tourism; Trends; Zoology; Maldives; Arabian Sea; Mozambique; Australia; Movement; Mozambique; Migration; Natural markings; Population; Habitat; Megatrygon microps; Smalleye stingray; Photo-identification; Pattern validation
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7110

The smalleye stingray ( ) is a large and rare dasyatid ray, patchily distributed across the Indo-West Pacific. Free-swimming individuals have regularly been recorded in Southern Mozambican coastal waters utilizing different inshore environments. Distinctive features of the species include latitudinal rows of white spots on the dorsal surface of their pectoral disc. This study aimed to determine if the natural spot patterns on are sufficiently unique and stable to use in photo-identification studies of wild populations. Research dive logs were combined with opportunistic photographs from local dive centers and recreational divers to create a photographic database from the Inhambane Province coastline. Seventy different individuals were identified over a 15-year period, all exhibiting uniquely identifiable patterns. Stingrays were easily identifiable over a period of six years with multiple re-sightings of the same individuals recorded. Analysis of encounters across the Inhambane coastline revealed that individual rays regularly use inshore reefs along a 350 km stretch of coastline. Fifteen stingrays were re-sighted during the study period, including one showing a 400 km return movement between Tofo Beach and the Bazaruto Archipelago, which is the longest distance traveled by a dasyatid ray on record. Several presumably pregnant females have also been recorded in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park.