Hugo Lassauce, PhD candidate at the University of New-Caledonia, is visiting the lab to undertake part of his thesis work on New-Caledonia reef Manta rays.
The project will characterise the genomic population structure of an emblematic but vulnerable species of Manta rays living in the water of the second largest barrier reef of the world in New Caledonia. Hugo’s work is multi-disciplinary, as it includes characterising the population using spatial ecology from the movement of mantas identified using photographs of natural markings, telemetry work, as well as genetics. At a local and regional level, such knowledge will provide a comprehensive understanding of the issues that Manta rays are facing in order to establish an integrated management of the species.
The work also involves Chris Dudgeon, University of Queensland, enabling us to compare New Caledonia and Australian manta rays.