Growth, maturity, and diet of the pearl whipray ( Fontitrygon margaritella ) from the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau

Research on the pearl whipray (Fontitrygon margaritella) in the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau, reveals that this species exhibits rapid growth, early maturity, and significant ontogenetic diet shifts. The study estimated size-at-maturity at 20.3 cm for males and 24.3 cm for females, corresponding to ages of 2.2 and 3.9 years, respectively. Diet analysis showed that all life stages primarily consumed crustaceans and polychaetes, with notable variations among young-of-the-year (YOY), juveniles, and adults. The findings contribute valuable data for the conservation assessment and management of this elasmobranch species and its related taxa.

Clements, O. N., Leurs, G., Witbaard, R., Pen, I., Verkuil, Y. I., & Govers, L. L. (2022). Growth, maturity, and diet of the pearl whipray ( Fontitrygon margaritella ) from the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau. PeerJ, 10, e12894. Portico. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12894