Field Guide to Manta & Devil Rays of the World

Description:

This guide contains over a dozen ways to assist you with the identification of manta and devil rays and the species they associate with, whether in the ocean (alive), at fishery landings sites (dead), within trade (gill plates), or from the air. A new dichotomous key has been created to simplify identification using easy-to-recognise features. The key directs the reader to key identification characteristics, and to further aid and simplify identification, the guide and key colour codes the species by ocean-basin occurrence. Detailed species accounts provide key features, range maps, colour illustrations, behavioural descriptions and underwater imagery for each manta and devil ray species. This guide also provides the tools, guidance, and materials in the form of data collection protocols, codes of conduct, guidelines and more, which we hope will aid the research and conservation management of these threatened rays.