We know that plastic pollution is an overwhelming problem that faces our oceans, posing a significant threats to the filter feeders who call this ecosystem home. But what types of plastic are these animals accidentally ingesting? A new study by Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF), published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, has found out the answer to this question about manta rays.
Manta belong to the genus Mobula (formerly Manta), containing ten species – two (possibly three) manta and eight devil ray species. Despite being some of the largest species in our oceans, scientists are still trying to fill in the gaps of our knowledge on these large, filter-feeding rays! Having a circumglobal distribution in tropical and subtropical waters, these pelagic animals are slow to sexually mature, have low fecundity, and have migratory and aggregatory behaviors that render them vulnerable to exploitation.
https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproje.../2021/07/06/microplastics-and-manta-rays/amp/
Manta belong to the genus Mobula (formerly Manta), containing ten species – two (possibly three) manta and eight devil ray species. Despite being some of the largest species in our oceans, scientists are still trying to fill in the gaps of our knowledge on these large, filter-feeding rays! Having a circumglobal distribution in tropical and subtropical waters, these pelagic animals are slow to sexually mature, have low fecundity, and have migratory and aggregatory behaviors that render them vulnerable to exploitation.
https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproje.../2021/07/06/microplastics-and-manta-rays/amp/