INA Scuba: Mobilization of French West Indies scuba diving clubs to rapidly improve knowledge on threatened marine species. Case of the white-spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari)

Elasmobranchs typically display slow growth, late maturity and low fecundity life history characteristics, making them vulnerable to fishing pressures and environmental perturbations. The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari), a large pelagic migratory ray with an endangered status on the IUCN Red List, fits this pattern based on available literature. Historically, age and growth parameters for this ray have been reported through vertebral ageing methods. However, the periodicity of vertebrate band pair formation, which is used for ageing, has not been validated for this species, making ageing accuracy and thus the resulting growth parameters uncertain. In this study, we used both a frequentist and Bayesian method of estimating sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth parameters (DW∞, k) in wild recaptured versus aquarium-housed rays. Additionally, we estimated growth from repeated measurement data collected from aquarium-housed rays, as an alternative approach to obtain growth parameters while allowing for individual variability. Between 2009 and 2020, 589 whitespotted eagle rays were caught, measured, tagged and released along the southwest coast of Florida. Of these rays, 34 were recaptured between 5–1413 days at liberty. Nineteen additional rays were collected during the same period, transported and maintained at Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, where they were regularly weighted and measured. Data from Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facilities provided prior information on maximum size for the Bayesian estimations, and size at birth, size at maturity, and maximum life span. These data were used to plot and interpret von Bertalanffy growth curves. Wild whitespotted eagle rays were found to grow faster and mature earlier than previously thought, with Bayesian estimates of k = 0.28 year-1 in females, and k = 0.30 year-1 in males. Aquarium-housed individuals seemed to grow slower and reach smaller sizes, although data provided by the aquariums showed variable growth patterns depending on the facility. Longevity was estimated at 14-15 years in wild rays while maximum lifespan observed in aquariums was 19-20+ years. Life history parameters and growth trajectories generated from this study offer valuable information to aid with future conservation management strategies of this endangered species.

The study was conducted during April, 2006 to March, 2014 on the status of shark fishery (shark and ray) resources in the Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh region; data were collected from Fishery ghat fish landing center, Chittagong and BFDC fish harbor, Cox’s Bazar. A total 11 species of sharks belonging to 3 families (under Carcharhinidae-8 species, Sphyrnidae-2 species and Hemiscyllidae-1 species) and 24 species of rays belonging to 7 families (under Dasyatidae-14 species, Rhinobatidae-2 species, Rhynchobatidae-1 species, Gymnuridae-1 species, Myliobatidae-2 species, Rhinopteridae-2 species and Mobulidae-2 species) were recorded. The elasmobranch species, such as sharks were Grey sharp nose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx-Springer, 1964), Graceful shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides -Whitley, 1934), Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas -Valenciennes in Muller and Henle, 1839), Black tip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus -Quoy and Gaimard, 1824), Soft tail shark (Carcharhinus sorrah- Valenciennes, in Muller and Henle,1839), Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus -Rupell,1837), Spade nose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus -Cuvier 1829), Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier -Peron and LeSueur, in LeSueur, 1822), Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini -Griffith and Smith, 1834), Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran- Ruppell, 1837) and Slender bamboo shark (Chiloscyllum indicum -Gmelin, 1789). And the ray’s species were- Pink whip ray (Himantura fai -Jordan and Seale, 1906), Tube mouth whip ray (Himantura lobistoma -Manjaji- Matsumoto & Last, 2006), Leopard whip ray (Himantura undulata -Bleeker,1852), White spotted whip ray(Himantura gerrardi- Person and Lesucur,1822), Reticulate whip ray (Himantura uarnak -Forsskal,1775), Brown whip ray (Himantura uarnacoides -Bleeker, 1852),Scaly whip ray (Himantura imbricata -Bloch and Schneider, 1801), Dwarf whip ray (Himantura walga -Muller and Henle, 1841),Chinese sting ray (Dasyatis sinensis -Steindachner, 1892),Sharp nose sting ray (Dasyatis zugei -Miiller and Henle, 1841), Blue spotted sting ray (Dasyatis kuhlii -Muller and Henle,1841), Banana leaf -tail ray (Pastinachus sephen -Forsskal, 1775), Blotched fantail ray (Taeniura meyeni -Miiller and Henle, 1841), Porcupine ray (Urogymnus asperrimus -Bloch and Schneider,1801), Giant shovelnose ray (Rhinobatos typus -Bennett, 1830),Club nose guitar fish (Rhinobatos thouin -Anonymous, in Lacepede,1798), Bowmouth guitar fish (Rhina ancylostoma -Bloch and Schneider,1801), Japanese butterfly ray (Gymnura japonica -Schlegal, 1850), Banded eagle ray (Aetomylaeus nichofii -Blyth, 1860),White spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari -Euphrasen, 1790), Rough cow nose ray (Rhinoptera adspersa -Valenciennes in Muller and Henle, 1841), Javanese cow nose ray (Rhinoptera javanica -Muller and Henle, 1841), Lesser devil ray (Mobula kuhlii- Valenciennes, in Muller and Henle,1841) and Japanese devil ray (Mobula japonica -Miiller and Henle, 1841). Among the shark species, Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus), Spade nose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus) & Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) were dominantly exploited and Grey sharp nose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx) & Soft tail shark (Carcharhinus sorrah) are rarely exploited. And belong to ray species Brown whip ray(Himantura uarnacoides), Leopard whip(Himantura undulata), Giant shovelnose ray(Rhinobatos typus), Japanese devil ray(Mobula japonica), Japanese butterfly ray(Gymnura japonica), Rough cow nose ray(Rhinoptera adspersa), Banded eagle ray Aetomylaeus nichofii) & Dwarf whip ray(Himantura walga) were prominently landed and Pink whip ray (Himantura fai), Tube mouth whip ray (Himantura lobistoma), White spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) & Club nose guitar fish (Rhinobatos thouin ) were rarely found. Key Words: Sharks, rays, species, landing volumes, artisanal and industrial fishing

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Community engagement is a commonly used term, but is complex in both meaning and application. In order to help academic institutions and administrators develop infrastructure to promote and support community engagement and to help investigators work productively with communities, this analysis discusses the major components of community engagement in research on both the institutional and individual project levels as well as the interplay between them. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A literature synthesis conducted by a community engagement in research committee at 1 CTSA institution that examined the myriad factors related to effective community engagement in research identified across multiple disciplines was used to distill the major factors identified, assesses the interplay of the identified factors, and produce a conceptual model to help administrators and investigators apply best practices in engaging communities in clinical and translational research. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: This work takes a concept—community engagement in research—that is often stated and discussed, but is highly complex and challenging to implement—and identifies and discusses the multiple, interrelated factors germane to it. The model illustrates that while community engagement in research is implemented in the context of individual projects, a deep and continual interplay between individual projects and the goals, capacity, and policies of research institutions is needed for rigorous, ethical, and effective community engagement. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Results are presented through a conceptual framework which displays the major components needed for rigorous, ethical, and effective community engagement in clinical and translational research. In addition, the conceptual framework presented will provide assistance to those developing approaches to measure and evaluate institutional readiness for community engagement in research as well as the effectiveness of individual community engagement efforts.

BackgroundAnimal-associated microbiomes can be influenced by both host and environmental factors. Comparing wild animals to those in zoos or aquariums can help disentangle the effects of host versus environmental factors, while also testing whether managed conditions foster a ‘natural’ host microbiome. Focusing on an endangered elasmobranch species—the whitespotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari—we compared the skin, gill, and cloaca microbiomes of wild individuals to those at Georgia Aquarium. Whitespotted eagle ray microbiomes from Georgia Aquarium were also compared to those of cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) in the same exhibit, allowing us to explore the effect of host identity on the ray microbiome.ResultsLong-term veterinary monitoring indicated that the rays in managed care did not have a history of disease and maintained health parameters consistent with those of wild individuals, with one exception. Aquarium whitespotted eagle rays were regularly treated to control parasite loads, but the effects on animal health were subclinical. Microbiome α- and β-diversity differed between wild versus aquarium whitespotted eagle rays at all body sites, with α-diversity significantly higher in wild individuals. β-diversity differences in wild versus aquarium whitespotted eagle rays were greater for skin and gill microbiomes compared to those of the cloaca. At each body site, we also detected microbial taxa shared between wild and aquarium eagle rays. Additionally, the cloaca, skin, and gill microbiomes of aquarium eagle rays differed from those of cownose rays in the same exhibit. Potentially pathogenic bacteria were at low abundance in all wild and aquarium rays.ConclusionFor whitespotted eagle rays, managed care was associated with a microbiome differing significantly from that of wild individuals. These differences were not absolute, as the microbiome of aquarium rays shared members with that of wild counterparts and was distinct from that of a cohabitating ray species. Eagle rays under managed care appear healthy, suggesting that their microbiomes are not associated with compromised host health. However, the ray microbiome is dynamic, differing with both environmental factors and host identity. Monitoring of aquarium ray microbiomes over time may identify taxonomic patterns that co-vary with host health.

Introductionmeaningful community engagement is increasingly being considered the major determinant of successful research, innovation and intervention uptake. Even though there is available literature recommending community engagement in health research, there are still knowledge gaps in how communities might be best engaged in Sub-Saharan Africa. We, therefore, synthesized the existing literature on the current practices, barriers and facilitators, ethical considerations, and gender mainstreaming in the engagement of communities in research in sub-Saharan Africa.Methodsthis synthesis was developed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). A combination of keywords and medical subject headings was used to search MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health Library through OVID SP, the Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, CINAHL, WHO Afro Library, WHO Global Index Medicus and the National Institute for Health Research, for all literature published between 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2021.Resultsthirty articles met our inclusion criteria. The key reported facilitators of effective community engagement in research included appropriate community entry and engagement of stakeholders. Barriers to effective community engagement in research included the availability of prohibitive cultural, historical and religious practices; geographical/spatial limitations, difficulties in planning and executing community engagement activities and communication barriers. Awareness creation and sensitization on the research through drama, social media, documentaries, and community durbars are some of the existing practices adopted in engaging communities in research. Gender mainstreaming was not considered appropriately in the engagement of communities in research, as only a few studies made provisions for gender considerations, and most of the time, interchanging gender for sex. Respect for autonomy, privacy and informed consent were the main ethical issues reported.Conclusiongender mainstreaming and ethical standards were reported as important, but not explored in depth. Gender as a social construct needs to be carefully integrated in the entire research cycle. Clear ethical concerns within a research project have to be co-discussed by the research team, community members and potential research participants.

This study focused on the short-term reactions of six key species (Taeniura meyeri, Aetobatus narinari, Triaendon obesus, Chelonia mydas, Phalacrocorax harrisi, and Zalophus californianus) during tourism activities (SCUBA diving, panga-ride, snorkeling, and hiking) at 16 tourist sites on the islands. For each species we recorded its behavior when first encountering tourists and its reaction following this encounter. A Correspondence Analysis revealed that the type of reaction of the species depended significantly on the type of touristic activity, with the exception of the black spotted and eagle rays. Moreover, the analysis showed that, for each species, the different tourist activities were significantly associated with particular animal activities. This suggests that the species analyzed are susceptible to specific tourism activities making it necessary to instate recommendations for management in order to guarantee sustainable ecotourism.

This study focused on the short-term reactions of six key species (Taeniura meyeri, Aetobatus narinari, Triaendon obesus, Chelonia mydas, Phalacrocorax harrisi, and Zalophus californianus) during tourism activities (SCUBA diving, panga-ride, snorkeling, and hiking) at 16 tourist sites on the islands. For each species we recorded its behavior when first encountering tourists and its reaction following this encounter. A Correspondence Analysis revealed that the type of reaction of the species depended significantly on the type of touristic activity, with the exception of the black spotted and eagle rays. Moreover, the analysis showed that, for each species, the different tourist activities were significantly associated with particular animal activities. This suggests that the species analyzed are susceptible to specific tourism activities making it necessary to instate recommendations for management in order to guarantee sustainable ecotourism.

The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelled prey, and due to effective winnowing behavior, it is a significant challenge to identify prey based on soft tissues alone. Here, we report on the first analysis of whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida waters using visual-based gut content analysis complemented with DNA barcoding. Gut contents were obtained via gastric lavage from 50 individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon and off Sarasota, Florida. Of the 211 unique prey samples collected, 167 were deemed suitable for sequencing. Approximately 56.3% of samples yielded positive species matches in genetic databases. Results from the sequenced data indicate that the whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida is mainly comprised of bivalves and gastropods, with variable inclusion of crustaceans. Despite positive identification of venerid clams, there was no evidence for the consumption of hard clams (Mercenaria spp.), a major shellfish aquaculture and restoration species in Florida. Such wide-ranging prey species from various trophic guilds and locations highlight the whitespotted eagle ray’s diverse role in the top-down regulation of coastal benthic communities.

The spotted eagle ray is an iconic species for the recreational diving and snorkeling industry in the Mexican Caribbean although it is heavily fished in nearby waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico and in Cuba. This species is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as ‘Near Threatened’ with a decreasing population trend. Few studies have reported on the populations and migrations of spotted eagle rays in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and no regulations currently exist for the fishery or tourism industries in Mexico. Photographic identification techniques were used to produce the first photo-ID catalog of spotted eagle rays in the Mexican Caribbean using 1096 photographs submitted by researchers and divers between 2003 and 2016. In total, 282 individual spotted eagle rays were identified through photographs at nine sites across the Mexican Caribbean. Of these individuals, 14.9% were resighted at least once at the same site. The longest period between re-sighting events was 342 days. This is the first study evaluating free-swimming spotted eagle rays in the Mexican Caribbean and highlights the value of using photo-ID for monitoring populations of this ray. Because a targeted subsistence fishery for spotted eagle rays exists in nearby waters, management efforts to monitor and prevent overexploitation at key diving locations should be a priority for local government agencies.

Background: Evaluation of community and public engagement in research is important to deepen understanding of how engagement works and to enhance its effectiveness. Theories of change have been recommended for evaluating community engagement, for their ability to make explicit intended outcomes and understandings of how engagement activities contribute to these outcomes. However, there are few documented examples of using theories of change for evaluation of engagement. This article reports experience of using theories of change to develop a framework for evaluating community engagement in research at a clinical research organisation in Malawi. We describe the steps used to develop theories of change, and the way theories of change were used to design data collection plans. Based on our experience, we reflect on the advantages and challenges of the theory of change approach. Methods: The theories of change and evaluation framework were developed through a series of workshops and meetings between engagement practitioners, monitoring and evaluation staff, and researchers. We first identified goals for engagement, then used ‘so that’ chains to clarify pathways and intermediate outcomes between engagement activities and goals. Further meetings were held to refine initial theories of change, identify priority information needs, and define feasible evaluation methods. Results: The theory of change approach had several benefits. In particular, it helped to construct an evaluation framework focused on relevant outcomes and not just activities. The process of reflecting on intended goals and pathways also helped staff to review the design of engagement activities. Challenges included practical considerations around time to consider evaluation plans among practitioners (a challenge for evaluation more generally regardless of method), and more fundamental difficulties related to identifying feasible and agreed outcomes. Conclusions: These experiences from Malawi provide lessons for other research organisations considering use of theories of change to support evaluation of community engagement.

Background: Evaluation of community and public engagement in research is important to deepen understanding of how engagement works and to enhance its effectiveness. Theories of change have been recommended for evaluating community engagement, for their ability to make explicit intended outcomes and understandings of how engagement activities contribute to these outcomes. However, there are few documented examples of using theories of change for evaluation of engagement. This article reports experience of using theories of change to develop a framework for evaluating community engagement in research at a clinical research organisation in Malawi. We describe the steps used to develop theories of change, and the way theories of change were used to design data collection plans. Based on our experience, we reflect on the advantages and challenges of the theory of change approach. Methods: The theories of change and evaluation framework were developed through a series of workshops and meetings between engagement practitioners, monitoring and evaluation staff, and researchers. We first identified goals for engagement, then used 'so that' chains to clarify pathways and intermediate outcomes between engagement activities and goals. Further meetings were held to refine initial theories of change, identify priority information needs, and define feasible evaluation methods. Results: The theory of change approach had several benefits. In particular, it helped to construct an evaluation framework focused on relevant outcomes and not just activities. The process of reflecting on intended goals and pathways also helped staff to review the design of engagement activities. Challenges included practical considerations around time to consider evaluation plans among practitioners (a challenge for evaluation more generally regardless of method), and more fundamental difficulties related to identifying feasible and agreed outcomes. Conclusions: These experiences from Malawi provide lessons for other research organisations considering use of theories of change to support evaluation of community engagement.

Here we provide the first photographic records of the eye healing of a free-ranging whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) following shark-inflicted bite injuries on the cephalic region. The whitespotted eagle ray with fresh wounds on the cephalic region close to its right orbit, upper jaw and the anterior margin of its right pectoral fin was photographed on 19 July 2017 at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. Two subsequent photographs of the whitespotted eagle ray with a blind right eye were taken on 29 March 2018 and 18 April 2018. These records show the whitespotted eagle ray had the capacity to recover from the wounds, although they have led to the blindness of the eye. These findings also demonstrate this individual was able to survive for at least 9months with a nonfunctional eye.

The horn sharks (Heterodontidae: Chondrichthyes) represent one of four independent evolutions of durophagy in the cartilaginous fishes. We used high-resolution computed tomography (CT scanning) to visualize and quantify the mineralized tissue of an ontogenetic series of horn sharks. CT scanning of neonatal through adult California horn sharks (Heterodontus francisci) confirmed that this technique is effective for examining mineralized tissue in even small (<10 mm) specimens. The jaw joint is among the first areas to become mineralized and is the most heavily mineralized area in the cranium of a neonatal horn shark. The hyoid is also well mineralized, although the poorly mineralized molariform teeth indicate that the neonatal animal may be a suction feeder on softer prey. The symphysis of the jaws never mineralizes, in sharp contrast to the condition in the hard prey-crushing stingrays. Digitally reslicing the CT scans along the jaws allowed measurement of the second moment of area (Ina). Assuming that the jaws are made of the same material at all ages, Ina is an indicator of the flexural stiffness of the jaws. In all sizes of shark the lower jaws were stiffer than the upper and the stiffness increased in the area of the molariform teeth. The central region of the jaws, where the rami meet, support cuspidate grasping teeth and has the lowest Ina. The spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari), a hard prey-crushing stingray, shows a different pattern of flexural stiffness, with the peak at the central part of the jaws where the prey is reduced between flattened tooth plates. Although the eagle ray jaws have a higher Ina than the horn shark, they are also far more heavily mineralized. When the relative amounts of mineralization are taken into account, horn sharks do better with what mineral they have than does the eagle ray. With a tight jaw joint and loose mandibular symphysis, as well as nearly opposite patterns of stiffness in the jaws, it is clear that two of the clades of hard prey specialists use very different methods for cracking the hard prey problem.

The research question was what studies are available that have assessed community engagement in the health services research on soil-transmitted helminths? We aimed to synthesise evidence on how communities were engaged in health services research on soil-transmitted helminths in low-and-middle-income countries of the Asia-Pacific Region. We focused on this region because soil-transmitted helminths are endemic, and their burden is significant in this region. This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist. Relevant studies were searched in health-related databases including PubMed, Ovid, and Google Scholar. We selected studies based on the selection criteria set for this review. We collected textual information about the type of health services research, the degree of community engagement, the research phases involved, and the barriers/enablers affecting community engagement in research since they are pertinent to our review question and objective. Ten studies from seven countries in the Asia Pacific region were identified for this review. Albeit with variation in the extent of their involvement, various forms of communities/groups within communities were included such as Aboriginal communities, local communities, school children and their parents, school teachers and headmasters of schools, heads of villages, religious leaders, and so on. Overall, community engagement in health services research focused on of soil-transmitted helminths was limited. Six studies (60%) had collaboration at ‘developing methodology’, mainly through an explanation of the objectives of the study or study process to be conducted. Seven studies (70%) revealed community participation in soil-transmitted helminths at the “data collection” stage. Only one study (10%) documented that a community leader was involved as a co-author, reflecting an involvement in ‘report writing’ and further ‘dissemination’. Findings suggest that there were various forms of community engagement in various aspects of the health services research context. Overall, there was moderate level of participation, but there was insufficient information on the partnership between various stakeholders, which prevented in-depth analysis of the engagement. Future health services research on soil-transmitted helminth interventions needs to be carefully planned, well designed, grounded in principles of community engagement, and designed methodologically to allow in-depth participation by communities in all stages of the research.

The research question was what studies are available that have assessed community engagement in the health services research on soil-transmitted helminths? We aimed to synthesise evidence on how communities were engaged in health services research on soil-transmitted helminths in low-and-middle-income countries of the Asia-Pacific Region. We focused on this region because soil-transmitted helminths are endemic, and their burden is significant in this region. This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist. Relevant studies were searched in health-related databases including PubMed, Ovid, and Google Scholar. We selected studies based on the selection criteria set for this review. We collected textual information about the type of health services research, the degree of community engagement, the research phases involved, and the barriers/enablers affecting community engagement in research since they are pertinent to our review question and objective. Ten studies from seven countries in the Asia Pacific region were identified for this review. Albeit with variation in the extent of their involvement, various forms of communities/groups within communities were included such as Aboriginal communities, local communities, school children and their parents, school teachers and headmasters of schools, heads of villages, religious leaders, and so on. Overall, community engagement in health services research focused on of soil-transmitted helminths was limited. Six studies (60%) had collaboration at 'developing methodology', mainly through an explanation of the objectives of the study or study process to be conducted. Seven studies (70%) revealed community participation in soil-transmitted helminths at the "data collection" stage. Only one study (10%) documented that a community leader was involved as a co-author, reflecting an involvement in 'report writing' and further 'dissemination'. Findings suggest that there were various forms of community engagement in various aspects of the health services research context. Overall, there was moderate level of participation, but there was insufficient information on the partnership between various stakeholders, which prevented in-depth analysis of the engagement. Future health services research on soil-transmitted helminth interventions needs to be carefully planned, well designed, grounded in principles of community engagement, and designed methodologically to allow in-depth participation by communities in all stages of the research.