Manta Birostris Research Articles

Insular and mainland interconnectivity in the movements of oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) off Mexico in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Insular and mainland interconnectivity in the movements of oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) off Mexico in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Killer Whale Predation on a Giant Manta Ray (Mobula birostris), a Sicklefin Devil Ray (Mobula tarapacana) and a Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) in the Southwest Indian Ocean

ABSTRACTKnowledge of killer whale (Orcinus orca) feeding ecology in tropical waters is scarce. In the southwest Indian Ocean, opportunistic sightings provide a valuable source of information to better understand their behaviour, diet and distribution. Here, we compile existing records of killer whale predation on elasmobranchs in the southwest Indian Ocean, including sightings of three undescribed prey species regionally: a giant manta ray (Mobula birostris), a sicklefin devil ray (Mobula tarapacana) and a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). Documenting such observations is important to increase knowledge on killer whale ecology in the tropics and the cascading impact they might have on prey populations.

Vulnerability assessment of elasmobranch species to fisheries in coastal Kenya: Implications for conservation and management policies

Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of species is useful for making informed management decisions based on relative vulnerability of species to fisheries. Understanding the vulnerability of species to fishing gears is important for targeted management measures especially for species known to have delicate life-history strategies such as the elasmobranchs. Productivity and Susceptibility Analysis (PSA), an ERA approach, was applied to 61 elasmobranch species (32 shark and 29 ray species) to assess their relative vulnerability (low, medium and high) to fishing by artisanal, prawn trawl and tuna longline fisheries in Kenya’s coastal waters. Overall, results showed 28 % of rays and 31 % of sharks were highly vulnerable to the fisheries, with the pelagic longline tuna fishery having the largest proportions of rays (50 %) and sharks (54 %) being highly vulnerable. Most of the species were in the medium vulnerability category. Among the artisanal gears, only gillnets had species that were highly vulnerable to the fishery, while relatively fewer species (n = 9) of both sharks and rays were highly vulnerable to the prawn trawlers compared to those in the medium vulnerability category (n = 25). Seventeen species classified as High Vulnerability Species Assemblage (HVSA), were assessed to be at high risk of overfishing by different gears, and are recommended for management as a complex. Of the HVSA group, two species; Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum and Rhina ancylostoma are classified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered (CR), while another four; Rhinoptera jayakari, Mobula birostris, Stegostoma tigrinum and Carcharhinus plumbeus are Endangered (EN), with the rest being either Vulnerable (Gymnura poecilura, Pastinachus ater, Pateobatis jenkinsii, Taeniurops meyeni, Triaenodon obsesus, Carcharhinus falciformis, and Carcharhinus carcharias), Near Threatened (Maculabatis ambigua, Mustelus mosis, Prionace glauca) or classified as Data Deficient (Pliotrema warreni). Although majority of the species have been placed in the medium vulnerability category, some of them are those that are threatened with extinction globally, calling for a more precautionary management approach. A validation approach has been used to mitigate the problems of PSAs associated with data quality and uncertainty around estimated vulnerability indices. More robust application of PSA will require continuous updating of life-history attributes to improve on sensitivity. A precautionary Shark and Ray Management Plan (SRMP) that takes into account the outputs of the PSA is recommended for management and conservation of the elasmobranch stocks in Kenya’s marine waters.

Insights into the visitations of oceanic manta rays at cleaning stations on coral reefs in the Bird's Head Seascape, eastern Indonesia

The globally endangered oceanic manta ray Mobula birostris is believed to spend significantly more time in the open ocean than in coastal areas. Nonetheless, the Bird's Head Seascape (BHS) in eastern Indonesia hosts a large population of this species (over 850 individuals), frequently sighted at coral reef cleaning stations and forming a vital asset for marine tourism in the region. Despite this, detailed understanding of the movements and habitat use of this wide-ranging species within shallow (< 30 m) coral reef ecosystems remains limited. Addressing this knowledge gap is urgently required for the sustainable management of oceanic manta ray-focused tourism in the region. Here, we report the results of an initial passive acoustic telemetry study investigating the use of coral reef cleaning stations by oceanic manta rays. Forty-one rays were acoustically tracked from February 2016 to August 2019 in an array of 28 acoustic receivers deployed at known cleaning stations and hypothesized transit points across the BHS (including the regions of Raja Ampat, Fakfak, and Kaimana). A total of 5,822 detections were recorded by 16 of the 28 receivers from all tagged individuals, and 421 visitation events were documented from 37 out of the 41 tagged individuals, providing valuable insights into their visitation patterns at cleaning stations. Tagged individuals were detected at receiver stations for durations ranging from 0.2 to 427.0 min (mean ± SD = 48 ± 64 min). Notably, 94% of detections were recorded during daylight hours (reaching a peak at noon), underscoring an apparent diurnal pattern in time spent around cleaning stations. The study documented frequent short-range movements between adjacent receivers (5–12 km apart), with two-thirds of all 191 tracked movements occurring between neighboring stations in southern Raja Ampat. Notably, tagged individuals were detected repeatedly at three cleaning stations which were previously only known for hosting reef manta rays, suggesting oceanic manta rays likely also utilize these cleaning stations. Our study provides important insights into the visitations and local movements of oceanic manta rays between coral reef cleaning stations, which will inform effective oceanic manta ray conservation efforts and tourism management in the BHS.

‘A dangerous and exhausting struggle’: Hunting the devil fish of coastal North and South Carolina from the colonial era to the early decades of the 1900s

Scientists, hunters and business entrepreneurs in the Carolinas all had mutual interests in giant manta rays ( Mobula birostris) during the early decades of the 1900s. Eastern-seaboard coastal communities called them devil fish, because of the horn-shaped fins on their head. Although the Ocean Leather Company in Morehead City primarily processed shark-skin leather, it also experimented with the skins of rays and other sea animals for the manufacture of a great variety of consumer products. Articles were written for scientific journals and ray specimens were contributed to national institutions like the American Museum of Natural History. Local fishermen, along with celebrities like the US president, Teddy Roosevelt, harpooned devil fish in Cape Lookout while marvelling at their grace and strength, breaching up to six feet above the water's surface. Beaufort planter William Elliott presented many accounts of this fantastic sea creature, with vivid stories of enslaved African harpooners jumping off boats onto the backs of giant manta rays. This research combines historical accounts and images, newspaper advertisements and talks at local explorer clubs to illustrate case studies of the community's obsession with collecting, cooking, hunting and conquering rays as an important component of maritime leisure and environmental history. It concludes by addressing international examples of subsistence, recreational and industrial fishing, and its impacts on manta rays.

Family Mobulidae of Pakistan: Taxonomic assessment for their conservation and management

Species belonging to the family Mobulidae of Pakistan are described based on external morphology. In Pakistan, six species of Mobula birostris (Walbaum, 1972), Mobula eregoodoo (Cantor, 1849), Mobula mobular (Bonnaterre, 1788), Mobula kuhlii (Müller & Henle, 1841), Mobula tarapacana (Philippi, 1892), and Mobula thurstoni (Lloyd, 1908) of the family Mobulidae are found. Family Mobulidae are found in tropical and sub-tropical water around the world. However, their life history and ecological traits make them highly susceptible to overfishing. Like other unmanaged and unreported high-value elasmobranchs, their trade internationally led them to rapid depletion and potential indigenous extinction unless a rapid conservation management response occurs worldwide. Accurate identification at the species level is useful for the conservation, especially when direct exploitation or bycatch in various fisheries needs to be managed for their sustainability. Taxonomic misidentification creates uncertainties that could result in the mismanagement of regional and international threats of extinction. Here, we described the family Mobulidae fisheries of Pakistan based on their external morphology, an identification key is provided, and their distribution and global conservation status is also provided which will support the overall systematic stability of the mobulid rays in Pakistan and surrounding waters.

Evidence of environmental niche separation between threatened mobulid rays in Aotearoa New Zealand: Insights from species distribution modelling

AbstractAimMobulid rays are a group of threatened batoid fishes susceptible to population decline from targeted fisheries and accidental capture. Spatial distributions of mobulid rays remain poorly known. Prior studies found commonalities between favourable environments and prey among various mobulid species, yet most were conducted in tropical waters. To explore the habitat use and distribution of mobulid rays in a temperate environment we model the habitat suitability of two mobulid rays (Mobula mobular and Mobula birostris) in Aotearoa New Zealand using fisheries and citizen science occurrence data spanning almost two decades.LocationNortheastern coast of Aotearoa, New Zealand.MethodsBoosted Regression Tree models were used to predict the annual habitat suitability and favourable environmental conditions of the two species based on available sightings records in conjunction with high resolution (1 km2) environmental data.ResultsThe sympatric study species had contrasting habitat requirements. We found a separation in their spatial distribution defined by the 200 m isobath – the onshore extent for M. birostris and the offshore extent for M. mobular. While there were only subtle variations in relative habitat suitability for M. mobular over the study period, M. birostris exhibited greater interannual variability. Despite differing interannual patterns, spatial separation, as a function of environmental properties, persisted regardless of the year.Main ConclusionsOur results suggest that associations between mobulid species may differ from tropical regions due to regional adaptations to prey availability or local environmental conditions unique to colder and more productive temperate waters. Our findings highlight the importance of multi‐species surveys and the inclusion of temporal variability in support of separate species‐specific management plans to account for differing stressors impacting each species.

Occurrence, distribution and threats to mobulid rays in Brazil: A review and updated database

Abstract Mobulid rays are medium‐ to large‐sized pelagic‐dwelling planktivorous elasmobranchs that are circumglobally distributed. Brazil has a high diversity of Mobula species, with five of the nine globally valid species and one additional putative new species. Brazil represents a substantial knowledge gap concerning the ecology, distribution and threats to mobulid rays. In global distribution analyses, several species have been underrepresented along the Brazilian coast. The dataset is composed of information from peer‐reviewed and grey literature, as well as data from scientific expeditions, citizen science collaboration, social media and local news. We found 6,450 records of manta and devil rays along the Brazilian coast, including Mobula tarapacana, Mobula mobular, Mobula thurstoni, Mobula hypostoma, Mobula birostris and the putative new species (Mobula cf. birostris). Our results revealed alarmingly high captures, such as 4.5 tons of M. hypostoma in a single fishery cruise and 809 individuals of Mobula spp. from a single fleet during one year in the Southeastern region. These findings evidence the fisheries' threats to mobulid species in Brazil and highlight previously unnoted species records, such as the occurrence of M. hypostoma on the entire Brazilian continental shelf, including estuaries and M. tarapacana in coastal regions. Integrative information on the occurrence, distribution, and threats to mobulid rays on local and global scales is crucial to supporting strategies for their effective management and conservation.

First Documented Courtship Behavior between Mobula birostris and M. alfredi at a Coral Reef Cleaning Station in Misool, Raja Ampat

Though a previous study in Sudan confirmed the existence of a living hybrid of an oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) and a reef manta ray (M. alfredi), courtship behaviors between the two closely related species have never been documented. Here we report the first observation of courtship behaviors between two male M. birostris and a female M. alfredi at a manta ray cleaning station on a shallow coral reef seamount in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The observed courtship event lasted for approximately 45 min and involved one male oceanic manta actively chasing the mature reef manta female around the cleaning station and repeatedly bumping her on the left wing tip with his right cephalic lobe, while the second male continuously flanked the female to seemingly prevent her retreat from the cleaning station and potential evasion of the pursuing male. Notably, the female exhibited a rapid coloration change, likely indicative of courtship-related stress, transitioning from the striking pale hue she exhibited throughout the courtship activity to a normal chevron pattern once the males departed.

Environmental factors modulate the distribution of elasmobranchs in southern Mozambique

Investigating the spatiotemporal ecology of elasmobranchs is an important precursor to their effective management. Understanding long-term patterns in the movement and habitat use of threatened species can improve management plans so that they yield increased conservation benefits. We investigated the spatiotemporal and environmental drivers that underpin the abundance and distribution of elasmobranchs around reef habitats in southern Mozambique to highlight reefs that are important (“hotspots”) to the regional elasmobranch community. Visual belt transects (n = 738), supported by video recordings, were completed on 16 reef sites off the coast of southern Mozambique from 2018 to 2022. Nine elasmobranch species were encountered annually (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, Triaenodon obesus, Stegostoma tigrinum, Neotrygon caeruleopunctata, Pateobatis jenkinsii, Taeniurops meyeni, Mobula kuhlii, Mobula alfredi, Mobula birostris) and 11 individual environmental and spatiotemporal parameters (horizontal water visibility, tidal range and state, moon illumination, temperature on the reef, cloud cover, time of day, day of the year, transect distance from shore, transect depth, and the region that the transect occurred in) were measured. All species, (bar P. jenkinsii) were significantly more abundant around certain reefs in the sampled region. Total counts for most species were highest in the austral summer however two species’ (M. birostris and S. tigrinum) were most abundant in the winter months. The tidal state, tidal range, and moon illumination correlated significantly with the numbers of each of the nine elasmobranch species. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) indicated that species’ responses to the measured parameters grouped taxonomically. Environmental influences resulted in strong seasonal patterns of reef use by large-bodied and pelagic elasmobranch species (e.g. manta rays). The measured environmental parameters also resulted in daily, monthly, and seasonal patterns of abundance of reef-resident stingray and shark species. Banning extraction of elasmobranch species around the reefs where they aggregate and reflecting species distributions within fisheries regulations may significantly benefit the regional elasmobranch community.

Indication of feeding ground inside the Manta Ray's cleaning station by investigation of the zooplankton community composition in Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia

Abstract. Widiastuti, Borumei D. 2024. Indication of feeding ground inside the Manta Ray's cleaning station by investigation of the zooplankton community composition in Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 1239-1245. Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia, hosts reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) and oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris). Studies reported that these areas have functioned as manta ray cleaning and nursery sites. However, food availability is also the main attraction for manta ray aggregation. Thus, this study investigated the zooplankton community composition and abundance in the Manta Sandy Spot, a manta's cleaning station, to indicate its other role as the manta ray's feeding ground. Three sampling sites were located around the cleaning station bordered by mooring. A plankton net collected samples with a 100 µm mesh size, a mouth diameter of 30 cm, and a 1 m length horizontally towed from a boat for 5-10 min at a speed of ~2 knots. Manta ray's behavior was observed by snorkeling in the surface waters. Results demonstrated that the zooplankton was only composed of Copepod, consisting of three orders: Calanoida, Cyclopoida, and Harpacticoida. Among these orders, Calanoids dominated the zooplankton composition (93%). These genera were further grouped according to their body sizes, whereas three genera in Calanoids (Eucalanus, Calanus, and Undinula) were categorized as large-bodied zooplankton. The presence of the large-bodied zooplankton in the water samples, Calanoids, and Cyclopoids, which have been reported as the manta rays' preferred prey, indicates the area's role as the manta ray's feeding ground. This finding is supported by studies that found these zooplankton in the water where manta rays' feeding activity occurred and were absent in areas with no feeding activity. More indications were demonstrated by the manta ray's behavior, which followed the feeding activity criteria.

Remote hideaways: first insights into the population sizes, habitat use and residency of manta rays at aggregation areas in Seychelles

Understanding the aggregation and habitat use patterns of a species can aid the formulation and improved design of management strategies aiming to conserve vulnerable populations. We used photo-identification techniques and a novel remote underwater camera system to examine the population sizes, patterns of residency and habitat use of oceanic (Mobula birostris) and reef (Mobula alfredi) manta rays in Seychelles (5.42°S; 53.30°E) between July 2006 and December 2018. Sightings of M. birostris were infrequent (n = 5), suggesting that if aggregation areas for this species exist, they occur outside of the boundary of our study. A total of 236 individual M. alfredi were identified across all surveys, 66.5% of which were sighted at D’Arros Island (Amirante Group) and 22.5% at St. François Atoll (Alphonse Group). Males and females were evenly represented within the identified population. M. alfredi visited a cleaning station at D’Arros Island less frequently during dawn and dusk than at midday, likely due to the adoption of a crepuscular foraging strategy. The remote and isolated nature of the Amirante and Alphonse Group aggregation areas, coupled with the lack of a targeted mobulid fishery in Seychelles, suggests that with appropriate regulations and monitoring, the marine protected areas gazetted within these two groups will benefit the conservation of M. alfredi in Seychelles.

Spatiotemporal abundance of the whitespotted eagle ray and the giant manta ray (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes) from aerial surveys in southeast Florida

Spatiotemporal abundance of the whitespotted eagle ray and the giant manta ray (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes) from aerial surveys in southeast Florida

First report of a Giant manta ray, Mobula birostris (Walbaum 1792), foetus from Kochi, Kerala, India

First report of a Giant manta ray, Mobula birostris (Walbaum 1792), foetus from Kochi, Kerala, India

Determining the role of environmental covariates on planktivorous elasmobranch population trends within an isolated marine protected area

Studies have found predictable relationships between the behavior of planktivores and environmental conditions, suggesting that they may be especially sensitive to environmental change. Most studies to date, however, are based on limited observations, include few of the environmental covariates that influence planktivore behavior, and often do not occur over long enough durations to determine the effects of environmental change. As such, exploration of long-term data sets on planktivores is necessary to disentangle the potential impacts of oceanographic and environmental variability. To elucidate the relationship between 3 groups of planktivorous elasmobranchs (whale sharks Rhincodon typus, mobula rays Mobula spp., and manta rays Manta birostris) and environmental variability, we employ hierarchical modeling to examine trends in elasmobranch counts from underwater visual censuses (UVCs), conducted over the last 27 yr (1993-2019) by divemasters from Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Data from UVCs were integrated with primarily remotely sensed environmental and oceanographic data. Models revealed that for planktivorous elasmobranchs, environmental variables (chlorophyll a, lunar cycle, and salinity) are correlated with occurrence and predicted relative abundances. In lunar phases of lower illuminations, there were significant predicted increases in relative abundances of mobula rays, increased chlorophyll a decreased whale shark relative abundance, and increases in salinity correlated with increases in mobula relative abundance but did not correlate with increased observations of mantas or whale sharks. Our findings highlight the need to consider environmental conditions when evaluating the efficacy of marine protection and demonstrate the potential ranging effects of environmental variability on planktivores at Cocos.

Rescue method for a stranded giant manta ray (Mobula birostris).

An opportunistic rescue of a stranded 6 m giant manta ray off Ilha Comprida, in São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, revealed a new technique for returning large bodied mobulid rays to the water once beached. The technique, adapted from protocols to move stranded cetaceans, was modified to suit the dorso-ventrally compressed shape of mobulid rays and reduce damage to the animal while being pulled back into deeper water. The method and suggestions for its improvement have been described with the intention of assisting in the rescue of other stranded large mobulids.

Insight into manta ray behaviour using animal-borne Crittercams

Abstract Animal-borne video cameras equipped with depth and temperature sensors were deployed on 16 reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) in Raa Atoll, Maldives and 12 oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) in the Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico. These deployments provided descriptive behavioural data that give vital context to existing biotelemetry data and enabled a comparison of the social dynamics between the two manta ray species. Overall, cruising was the most dominant daytime behaviour recorded for both species. For M. alfredi, cleaning was the second most common behaviour, followed by courtship and feeding. No courtship behaviour was recorded for M. birostris. Across M. alfredi and M. birostris deployments, individuals spent an average of 43 and 8% of recorded time interacting with conspecifics, respectively. Sociability was higher in M. alfredi than M. birostris, however the findings should be interpreted with caution beyond the two deployment populations and times. Crittercams captured multiple courtship events of M. alfredi at depths greater than recreational scuba diving limits and captured previously undocumented interspecific interactions with M. mobular. Crittercam deployments also recorded M. alfredi travelling in groups and hugging the contours of the ocean floor, possibly as a tactic to reduce predation risk and/or improve swimming efficiency, enforcing the importance of this novel technology as a valuable tool to gain new insight into the ecological drivers of habitat use by these species. Lastly, these quantitative and descriptive results provide context for future hypothesis-driven research questions using animal-borne video cameras for mobulid rays.

Occupancy of acoustically tagged oceanic manta rays, Mobula birostris, in Bahia de Banderas, Mexico

The oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) is an endangered species commonly seen at oceanic islands and seamounts; however, seasonal aggregations have been described in highly productive, coastal areas. Oceanic manta rays are found in high numbers seasonally in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico, a unique nearshore aggregation site for the species. We used acoustic telemetry to examine the influence of environmental variables on the occurrence of 66 tagged oceanic manta rays over a seven-year period from 2015 to 2021. Seasonal trends in oceanic manta ray occurrence showed a peak in detections from January to March, and another peak from May to early October. Oceanic manta rays were present when the temperature ranged between 25 °C and 29 °C, the southward wind speeds ranged between 3 and 5 m s–1, the westward wind speed between 2.5 and 4.5 m s–1. Furthermore, oceanic manta rays’ presence was higher at high and low tides and when Chlorophyll-a values ranged between 2.5 and 7 mg m3-1. Results also suggest that El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) had a strong effect on oceanic manta ray presence in the bay, which is consistent with previous studies. The detections of oceanic manta rays in the south of the bay, were greater in the morning hours, suggesting that during the night they may move to deeper waters, similar to other reported studies of manta and devil rays. Our model suggested a tag retention time of 300 days. This study serves as a baseline for future management plans for the species to minimize impacts on this population from human activities occurring in close proximity to oceanic manta ray aggregation sites.

Use of underwater contactless ultrasonography to elucidate the internal anatomy and reproductive activity of manta and devil rays (Fam. Mobulidae).

The ability to visualise the internal anatomical structures of fish provides important information on their reproductive status and body condition and has made important contributions to many areas of fish biology. Obtaining information about the internal anatomy of fish has traditionally required euthanasia and dissection. However, although ultrasonography is now increasingly used to study internal fish anatomy without the need for euthanasia, traditional techniques still require restraint and contact with the animal, both of which are known to cause stress. This has prompted the development of waterproof, contactless, and portable equipment to allow ultrasonographic examinations to be carried out in free-swimming individuals which also facilitates the application of this tool in wild populations of endangered species. This study reports the validation of this equipment using anatomical examinations of nine manta and devil ray (Mobulidae) specimens landed at fish markets in Sri Lanka. Species studied were Mobula kuhlii (n = 3), M. thurstoni (n = 1), M. mobular (n = 1), M. tarapacana (n = 1) and M. birostris (n = 3). The use of this equipment was further validated with ultrasonographic examinations in 55 free-swimming reef manta rays Mobula alfredi, which enabled maturity status to be quantified in 32 females. Structures successfully identified in free-swimming individuals were the liver, spleen, gallbladder, gastrointestinal tract, skeletal structures, developing follicles and uterus. The study demonstrated that ultrasonography provided a reliable method of determining both sexual maturity and gestational status in free-swimming M. alfredi. The methodology induced no detectable signs of disturbance to the animals involved and therefore offers a viable and practical alternative to invasive techniques currently used to study anatomical changes in both captive and wild marine organisms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Batoid fishery in Peru (1950-2015): Magnitude, management and data needs

Historical landings from the Food and Agriculture Organization (1950–2015) were used to estimate the contribution of the Peruvian batoid fishery to the eastern Pacific Ocean, and species-specific landings from Instituto del Mar del Peru (1997-2015) were used to identify the most-landed species, their landings sites and monthly variation throughout the year, and fishing gear types most used. The regulatory and research landscape were evaluated toward identifying potential gaps that may be hindering conservation and management of batoids in Peru. Results showed that in the eastern Pacific, Peru ranked second, after Chile, for batoid landings from 1950 to 2015. Of the twenty-three species of marine batoids that interact with Peruvian fisheries, the most landed taxonomic groups, from 1997 to 2015, were: Myliobatis spp. (i.e., M. chilensis and M. peruvianus; 45% of batoids landings), Mobula spp. (primarily M. mobular, and secondarily M. thurstoni, M. munkiana, M. tarapacana; 28%), Pseudobatos planiceps (6%), and Hypanus dipterurus (6%). Most of these species are landed in northern Peru, where gillnets are the most-used fishing gear to capture them. Batoid landings occurred year-round; yet, for H. dipterurus and P. planiceps landings were highest during the austral summer. Only three management measures exist for batoids fisheries in Peru for three species (i.e., M. birostris, Pristis pristis, Rhinoptera steindachneri) and two taxa (i.e., Mobula and Myliobatis) which are not fully enforced. Batoid research in Peru is limited, with only 25 publications from 1978 to 2022, in which the most studied species are Mobula birostris, M. chilensis and M. peruvianus. This study establishes an information baseline for batoids in Peru that can help guide their management, research, and conservation.