Population dynamics of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi in eastern Australia

L I E Couturier; Christine L Dudgeon; K H Pollock; F R A Jaine; M B Bennett; Kathy A Townsend; S J Weeks; A J Richardson

doi:10.1007/s00338-014-1126-5

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Population dynamics of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi in eastern Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Population dynamics of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi in eastern Australia

L I E Couturier, Christine L Dudgeon, K H Pollock, F R A Jaine, M B Bennett, Kathy A Townsend, S J Weeks and A J Richardson

Coral Reefs, Vol.33(2), pp.329-342

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-014-1126-5

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Abstract

Program MARK

photographic identification

aggregation

abundance

survival

site affinity

The reef manta ray Manta alfredi aggregates at several sites along the east coast of Australia. Photographic identification and mark-recapture methods were used to report on the site affinity, size and structure of this population of M. alfredi. A total of 716 individuals were identified in 1982-2012, including 636 at Lady Elliot Island (LEI), southern Great Barrier Reef. Over 60 % of individuals identified were resighted at least once during the study period. Multiple resightings within and among years imply a high degree of site affinity by individuals to aggregation sites. One individual was sighted 11 times at LEI over a 30-yr period. The sex ratio of this population was significantly biased towards females (1.2:1 female-to-male ratio), and females were more commonly resighted than males. Robust design population models were used to estimate the population size of the winter aggregation at LEI over a 4-yr period. The models estimated up to 456 (95 % CI 399-535) M. alfredi individuals in the population within one winter season and a high annual apparent survival. This study demonstrated that waters around LEI form a key aggregation site for a large portion of the M. alfredi population in east Australian waters. © 2014 The Author(s).

Details

Title: Population dynamics of the reef manta ray Manta alfredi in eastern Australia
Authors: L I E Couturier (Author) - University of Queensland
Christine L Dudgeon (Author) - University of Queensland
K H Pollock (Author) - North Carolina State University, United States
F R A Jaine (Author) - University of Queensland
M B Bennett (Author) - University of Queensland
Kathy A Townsend (Author) - University of Queensland
S J Weeks (Author) - University of Queensland
A J Richardson (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Coral Reefs, Vol.33(2), pp.329-342
Publisher: Springer
Date published: 2014
DOI: 10.1007/s00338-014-1126-5
ISSN: 0722-4028
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451285302621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Marine & Freshwater Biology

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