Glaus Kerstin, Gordon Luke, Vierus Tom, Marosi Natasha D, Sykes Helen
School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, SAGEONS, The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji.
Manta Trust, Dorchester DT2 0NT, UK.
Biology (Basel). 2024 Jan 26;13(2):73. doi: 10.3390/biology13020073.
Over recent decades, elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, and skates) have been increasingly recognized among the world's most threatened marine wildlife, leading to heightened scientific attention. However, batoids (rays and skates) are relatively understudied, especially in Large Ocean States of the Pacific. This synthesis compiles insights on batoid diversity and occurrence in Fiji's waters by integrating a literature review, participatory science programs such as the Great Fiji Shark Count (GFSC) Initiative, Projects Abroad Fiji (PA), Manta Project Fiji (MPF), and iNaturalist, along with environmental DNA. Nineteen batoid species from seven families were identified: 19 species from the literature, 12 from participatory science programs, and six from eDNA analysis. Notably, this study provides the first photographic evidence for the bentfin devil ray (, Lloyd, 1908) in Fiji. GFSC data indicated the highest species diversity in the Western Division, with spotted eagle rays (, Kuhl, 1823) and maskrays ( sp.) being observed most. In-person interviews conducted by PA provided information on the occurrence of wedgefishes and potentially sawfishes. MPF records and iNaturalist uploads were dominated by reef manta rays (, Krefft, 1868), while the pink whipray (, Jordan and Seale, 1906) yielded the most DNA sequences. Overall, 68.4% of the species face an elevated extinction risk based on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List criteria. Although caution is warranted with older literature-based records for the giant guitarfish (, Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), giant stingaree (, Wallace, 1967), and the lack of sawfish verification, this synthesis highlights the effectiveness of a combined methodological approach in establishing a reference point for the diversity and occurrence of this understudied taxon in Fiji.
在最近几十年里，板鳃亚类（鲨鱼、鳐鱼和魟鱼）越来越被公认为世界上最受威胁的海洋野生动物之一，这引发了科学界更多的关注。然而，鳐魟类（鳐鱼和魟鱼）的研究相对较少，尤其是在太平洋的大洋国家。本综述通过整合文献综述、参与式科学项目（如大斐济鲨鱼计数（GFSC）倡议、海外斐济项目（PA）、斐济蝠鲼项目（MPF）和iNaturalist）以及环境DNA，汇集了关于斐济水域鳐魟类多样性和分布情况的见解。共鉴定出来自七个科的19种鳐魟类：19种来自文献，12种来自参与式科学项目，6种来自环境DNA分析。值得注意的是，本研究提供了弯鳍蝠鲼（Mobula thurstoni，Lloyd，1908）在斐济存在的首张照片证据。GFSC数据表明，西部地区的物种多样性最高，其中斑点鹰魟（Aetobatus narinari，Kuhl，1823）和面具魟（Neotrygon sp.）的观测数量最多。PA进行的实地访谈提供了关于楔齿鲨和可能的锯鳐出现情况的信息。MPF记录和iNaturalist上传的数据主要是礁蝠鲼（Manta alfredi，Krefft，1868），而粉红黄貂鱼（Himantura fai，Jordan和Seale，1906）产生的DNA序列最多。总体而言，根据国际自然保护联盟红色名录标准，68.4%的物种面临着更高的灭绝风险。尽管对于基于旧文献记录的巨魟（Rhynchobatus djiddensis，Anonymous [Bennett]，1830）、巨刺魟（Urolophus gigas，Wallace，1967）需要谨慎对待，且锯鳐的鉴定缺乏验证，但本综述强调了综合方法在为斐济这种研究不足的分类群的多样性和分布情况建立参考点方面的有效性。
