Ecology and conservation of a threatened reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) population in southern Mozambique

Manta ray (Mobula spp.) populations are declining globally, largely due to targeted fishing and indirect anthropogenic threats. Assessments of population size and dispersal are of vital importance to understand conservation requirements and inform management plans. This thesis uses a multi-technique approach to examine population dynamics, movements and genetic structure of reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) in southern Mozambique. Further, I investigate the occurrence of melanism in manta rays throughout the Indo-Pacific region, evaluating the potential evolutionary processes acting upon this distinctive trait. The findings provide valuable information for M. alfredi in southern Mozambique, upon which future conservation strategies can be based.