![]() student at the University of Cape Town and the lead observer of the study said, “it is a humbling experience to record 100s of hours of manta ray behavior and gain insights into what they might be doing with their cephalic lobes, which seem to have other uses than the traditional view that they are just used in feeding. Our results add to the growing evidence that manta rays are fundamentally a social species, which is crucial knowledge for conservation”. Here we provide evidence that suggests that a potential way in which communication may occur in manta rays, by using gestures similar to those known to be important in related shark species. student at Macquarie University and the lead author of the study said, “it’s always been very difficult for us to understand communication in other species, particularly those such as manta rays that are so obviously different to us, but it is likely that these animals can communicate in a fairly sophisticated way. This study pioneered the first manta behavior methodological technique (developed in BORIS software) to analyze manta ray behavior in an unbiased and transferrable way. The researchers observed this wide variety in cephalic lobe movements, displaying that manta rays are more complex than what is currently published, and that significant research is needed to get to the bottom of this mystery. Other factors, such as streamlining during swimming and the presence of zooplankton were also likely to be important. Some lobe movement types were also made more frequently when interacting closely with cleaner fish and may be used to attract the attention of these fish. Certain movements, such as small flicks of the lobe tips, were performed more frequently when rays were facing another individual, while tight rolling of the lobes was associated with being followed by others. They describe a variety of specific lobe positions and movements, finding that these were more frequent and sustained during social encounters. Researchers recorded all movements made by the paired cephalic lobes on the sides of manta rays’ heads and their exact timing in relation to the context in which they occurred. ![]() The study, published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, used observations of manta rays at cleaning stations, where they are cleaned by symbiotic cleaner fish, interact socially, and engage in reproductive behaviors. Knowledge of how manta rays relate to each other and transfer information within groups is likely to be important to understanding many aspects of their ecology and behavior. ![]() Previous work by the research team, who conducted fieldwork in Raja Ampat, West Papua had shown that reef manta rays are social animals, with individuals recognizing and remembering their preferred social partners. Results suggest that cephalic lobe movements may be important in social communication or sensing the local environment, as well as being used in feeding. The research, by scientists from Marine Megafauna Foundation, Macquarie University, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Papua, provides a new and detailed analysis of manta ray behavior in the wild. A new study has observed manta rays moving their cephalic lobes in specific and interesting ways during social interactions.
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