RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015 www.PosterPresentations.com Rays are a group of creatures that natural selection has awarded many variations. These seemingly infinite differences determine how they interact with their environments and how they are interconnected with humans. Pelagic lifestyles among rays might increase the threat of unsavory human interaction., be it poaching them or accidentally reeling them in. It is vitally necessary that this be addressed, or an important species of ray might go extinct. Different adaptions also dictate behaviors such as feeding or migrating, and by extension, their physical appearance, which explains the diversity in appearance among rays that we see today. Biodiversity as rich and strange as that of the ray family is something worth preserving. Abstract Migration Patterns While the basic characteristics of rays, namely their flat bodies, complete with an impressive wingspan, are consistent throughout the species, rays have adapted to have different shapes, sizes and colorations. Even some of the most basic adaptions that some would expect to universal among rays are defied by these creatures. Despite their distinctly demersal demeanor, rays such as the Giant Manta Ray and the Pelagic Stingray live their lives in the open water for the most part. (Alllen & McCormick, 1996) We were able to see such a ray during our visit to the Birch Aquarium. Rays are also able to live within freshwater. One example of this is the Atlantic Stingray which is know to reside within St. Johns River as well as in lakes further inland. (Bester, 2017) That being said a majority of rays will be benthic, marine animals. Biodiversity of the Ray Family Due to the staggering diversity of rays, it would be inaccurate to claim that they, collectively, are endangered. There are rays in every category of endangerment, from least threatened to critically endangered. The cause for endangerment when it is present is, unsurprisingly, humans. At times, human collection of certain species has no significant effect on the population. The Pacific Electric Ray, for example, is captured in small numbers by biomedical firms in order to study their electricity-producing organs for medicinal purposes. They remain a “Least Concern” species. ( Neer et al., 2015) On the other hand, in many ways similar to the Pacific Electric Ray but with very different implications, Manta Rays are poached in the waters of southeast Asia for a variety of reasons. They are sold as oddities, and their gill plates are often removed made into a tonic which is sold in China as an alternative medicine. (Allen & McCormick, 1996) Because the Manta Ray is considered a protected animal in most of these areas and hunting them is an illegal act with punishments of high fines and jail time, the Reef Manta Ray remains “Vulnerable” (Manta Trust, 2017). Endangerment Status Feeding Habits Though most attribute rays with typical benthic, bottom-feeding activity similar to that of a Roomba, the way different species choose to feed is dependent on the species’ lifestyle. Even typical demersal varies; perhaps like the Electric Ray, it stuns its prey for an easier catch. Even large pelagic rays like Eagle Rays will swoop down feed on crustaceans and bivalves. However, perhaps one of the most unique feeding habits among rays is the feeding cyclones performed by Reef Manta Rays. During dense planktonic blooms at Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives, the Mantas will engage in chain feeding, following each other in circles as they capture as many plankton as they possibly can in their large, gaping mouths. Reef Manta Rays have an individual adaption of this event to, in which they appear to continuously perform backwards summersaults in order to capture a concentrated area of plankton, similar to cyclone feeding; this is referred to as “barrel rolling”. This method of simply opening their gargantuan mouths to vacuum up plankton differs from that of the more carnivorous Eagle Ray, and is instead much more akin to the feeding habits of their near cousins, the Whale Shark. Both species take advantage of the planktonic blooms in the Maldives. References Allen, T. B., & McCormick, H. W. (1996). Shadows in the sea: the sharks, skates, and rays. New York, NY: Lyons & Burford. Bester, C. (n.d.). Ray & Skate Biology. Retrieved November 27, 2017, from https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/discover/rays-skates/biology/ Manta Trust. (n.d.). Conservation through Research, Awareness and Education. Retrieved November 27, 2017, from http://www.mantatrust.org/about-mantas/monsoons-and-migrations/ Neer, J.A., Freedman, R.M., Lowe, C.G & Jang, J.J. (2015). Tetronarce californica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T39396A80672988. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015- 4.RLTS.T39396A80672988.en Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Serena, F. & Mancusi, C. (2015). Mobula mobular. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T39418A48942228. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-1.RLTS.T39418A48942228.en. Perrine, D. (2003). Sharks and Rays of the World. Voyageur Pr. The migratory behavior of rays varies depending on the unique lifestyle of the species. It is common for larger, pelagic species of ray to be migrating constantly. Giant Oceanic Manta Rays and Spotted Eagle Rays will tend to travel the worlds oceans in search of planktonic blooms. It has yet to be seen if these migrations have a particular pattern; it is theorized that the Giant Oceanic Manta follows the planet’s natural polarity to migrate. Satellite tagging has been employed to make sense of these enigmatic migrations. (Manta Trust, 2017) As interesting as these independent migrations are, people are far more familiar with flashy presentation, like the grand group migration of the Golden Cownose Ray. One of the few times non-science media has reported on rays has been this particular migration due to its sheer mass. The current belief is that this migration is triggered by seasonal temperature changes in the water, urging them to move to western Florida in late Spring, and then back to the Yucatán Peninsula in late Autumn. Their migration is also theorized to be connected to their feeding habits, migrating to the area with the greatest abundance of food. Another piece of this migration that catches the public’s eye is the breaching behavior of the Golden Cownose Ray. As they migrate, it is common for the rays to leap into the air and land on their underbelly with a distinct slapping sound. Those who study this phenomenon do not yet have an explanation for why they do this, though some believe they do this to attract a mate or simply enjoy the feeling of doing a belly-flop. (Perrine, 2003) Zane Shalauta Rays: Champions of Diversity Illustrations of a Demon Ray, Thornback Ray, Undulated Ray, Electric Ray, and Long Nosed Ray from Rees’s Cyclopædia (1819) To truly grasp the scale of diversity, it is probably easiest to look closely at a few individual species. Above, at the top right corner of the image is the Electric Ray. We Californians are likely more familiar with its cousin, the Pacific Electric Ray which resides along our coasts. This nocturnal ray is an avid hunter, seeking out its prey in rocky outcroppings and stunning them with their electricity. Its electricity is also used defensively, since they are still a relatively small species. (Neer et al., 2015) This contrasts greatly with, say, the Spotted Eagle Ray, a larger ray species which lives a relatively pelagic lifestyle. They tend to keep close to coasts and reefs, but due to their presence in many different oceans on Earth, it is thought that they are capable of migrating over ocean basins. These tend to be a more solitary individuals, very unlike the Golden Cownose Ray which are well known for their grand group migrations across the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida in search of better weather and a revitalized food source. (Perrine, 2003) It is these differences among the ray family that make for a diversity in lifestyle, appearance, and human interaction. Certain species are at greater risk of extinction than others, mostly hinging on how commonly they come into contact with humans. The benthic Electric Ray (Least Concern) will rarely see a human, but the pelagic Giant Devil Ray (Endangered) is often bycatch in the Mediterranean Sea. (Notarbartolo di Sciara et al., 2015) Golden Cownose Ray Migration with an individual breaching. Photographed by Florian Schultz (2010) Giant Reef Manta Rays swim, mouths agape, in a cyclone feeding frenzy in Hanifaru Bay, Maldives. Photographed by Thomas P. Peschak (2012) Manta Ray gills confiscated by the Bali Ministry of Fisheries. Photographed by Paul Hilton (2014) However, hunting is rarely what causes rays to become endangered. The negligent practices of mass fishing techniques and the subsequent bycatch of rays caught in their path. Take the Giant Devil Ray for example. Native to the Mediterranean Sea, constant bycatch of these rays and neglecting to release them while still alive has rendered this species endangered. While there is one case of a Palestinian fishery specifically targeting Giant Devil Rays using purse seines, a majority of these unnecessary captures are by other fisheries who also happen to have purse seines, pelagic driftnets, or trawls of any kind. Although this behavior has been noted as dangerous to this species, the population remains in decline. Their low reproductive rates are an additional disadvantage. European governments have begun the process of protecting these creatures by outlawing pelagic driftnets, but illegal activities persist. Actions that could help reduce the unnecessary deaths of Giant Devil Rays include a mix of legal action and social awareness. Harsher enforcement of the legal protections already in place for this ray combined with public awareness among fishermen to release Giant Devil Rays alive could save this species. (Notarbartolo di Sciara et al., 2015)