Pacific Manta Research Group

Heading to Socorro??

reference our pre-departure checklist to prepare for your trip!

Pre-Departure Checklist:

Taking Good Photos:

Our photo-ID work is entirely dependent on photo submission from folks like yourself, and we are so very appreciative of you sharing your work with us! Visual identification depends on information on the contours around the mantas' markings, rather than artistic images, and visual information is what we work with. A mantas' undersurface markings, or a good part of them, must be visible in order to compare it with images in our database, and thus to identify it. No need to process the images as we have scripts for that. Hopefully, you will be able to include the pelvic fins so that we can identify sex, and with black mantas this requires flash or close-up. Images of wounds or scars on identifiable animals are very useful- we hope you won't see many, but if you do, we would like to see these as well.

Manta Marking Regions

Manta Marking Regions:

The ideal photo would be a flat manta belly, with no fish or divers or bubbles obscuring its markings. We identify mantas by differentiating between the light and dark areas on the belly, so sharp contrast is appreciated. While we love those gorgeous silhouette pictures of the mantas, unless you can see the contrast on the belly they are not useful for photo identification.

For chevron mantas if you have any parts of these distinguishing characteristics they may help us make and ID even if you don’t have the full manta in frame: the entire belly with its distinctive markings, a set of gills with marks below the gill slits, one wing if the demarcation line (the grey line that separates the white from the grey at the posterior of the manta ray that extends to the wing tip) has a distinct curvature or pattern to it.

For black mantas these distinguishing characteristics may give us an ID even if you do not have the full manta in frame: a white “arm” that extends from the back of the manta to the front, wrapping outside the gills or part of the central blaze located between the gills. We value the pelvic fins, in front of the tail, as they show the sex of the manta.

Video is valuable for its continuity between frames of a manta turning or sliding by, revealing the markings in sequence if not all together.

Camera Settings

Camera:

High contrast between the markings and the rest of the body makes identification much easier. If you are shooting up at a bright sea surface, use spot metering, point at the center of the animal, and zoom in excluding as much of the sea surface as possible. A wide-angle lens permits you to be close to the manta for a clear image and to capture most of the animal's belly. Date stamping on the face of the image can obstruct identifiable markings. It is very important to note both date and location of your photographs. Setting your camera's internal clock to the correct local time (GMT-6 or -7 depending on the season) is very useful. If you use metadata from date, time, location, photographer, that's great! Metadata is retained when transferring images, however the file date shown in a computer filing system often is the transfer date. We are very grateful to each and every one of you for contributing to this project. Without you, the photographers, this entire study would be only a dream.

Good Manta Etiquette

Swimming with Mantas:

Check out this Ten Step Guide on the proper protocol to follow when swimming with mantas created by the Manta Trust!

Importance of Metadata

Metadata:

The metadata (the date, location, and time) are very important to accurately track the movements of the individuals. This is why it is important to set your camera to the right settings before each dive and log the details of dive as soon as you finish that dive.

ADOPT A MANTA TODAY

Adopt a manta today and receive a digital adoption pack with more information about these beautiful animals. It also includes the adopted manta's story and the stats that we have collected throughout their lifetime. This makes the perfect gift for anyone who wants to learn more about these creatures.

Adopt a Manta

Pre-Departure Checklist:

Taking Good Photos

Taking Good Photos:

Manta Marking Regions

Manta Marking Regions:

The ideal photo would be a flat manta belly, with no fish or divers or bubbles obscuring its markings. That said, any photograph that gives us visual information about an animal's markings is worthwhile. We are happy to receive photos of parts of mantas, so long as enough of the markings are revealed to permit later identification. We identify mantas using the demarcation line or interface between light areas and dark areas, so sharp contrast is appreciated. For chevron mantas, an entire belly with bellymarkings, will do. A set of gills with marks below them. One wing alone is sufficient, if the demarcation line, between the white belly and gray band at the edge of its wind, is curvaceous. For black mantas, one white "arm" rising up along the outside of the gills. The edge of the "head" between the gills. We value the pelvic fins, in front of the tail, as they show the sex of the manta. Video is valuable for its continuity between frames of a manta turning or sliding by, revealing the markings in sequence if not all together.

Camera Settings