Northern Macanao is an important reproductive area for five ray species.

Landing surveys were conducted over 20 years (2005–2025) in La Pared and Robledal in northern Margarita Island where fishers sell their catch from fisheries using drifting and bottom-set gillnets. Fishers also indicated the location of their catches, which were within this area (Tagliafico et al. 2014; González-González & Ehemann 2019; NR Ehemann & LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025).

Smooth Butterfly Rays were assessed during 86 landing site visits in La Pared during 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014, and 2015 (Tagliafico et al. 2014; González-González & Ehemann 2019; LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). A total of 128 specimens were recorded of which 88% were females. Most females were mature (74%; n = 84) and 26 (31%) of these were pregnant. Pregnant females with a visibly distended abdomen were dissected and they had 2–5 midterm and full term embryos (LA Zambrano & NR Ehemann unpubl. data 2025). A comparative study on the species in northeastern Brazil that examined 905 individuals found that 75% were juvenile and only 10 females were pregnant (Yokota et al. 2012). Additionally, informal observations from La Guardia on Margarita Island, outside this area, indicate that mostly immature males are captured there (LA Zambrano et al. pers. obs. 2025), highlighting the importance of Northern Macanao for the gestation of Smooth Butterfly Rays.

Spinetail Devil Rays are regularly captured in this area. A landing survey with most effort (42% of visits) in 2015 and 2017 included 35 site visits and recorded mobulid catches in 69% (n = 24) of these (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). A total of 36 Spinetail Devil Rays were recorded with most specimens (75%; n = 27) being females. Of these, seven (26%) were pregnant while 10 (37%) were in the regressing postpartum phase, having recently given birth (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). Additionally, seven of the 20 measured individuals had a size of <160 cm disc width (DW). The size-at-birth for the species ranges from 90–160 cm DW (Last et al. 2016), indicating that these are likely to be neonates or young-of-the-year (YOY). Combined, these results show that this area is important for the gestation, potential pupping, and early life stages of Spinetail Devil Rays.

The same landing survey reported Sicklefin Devil Rays (n = 24) captured in this area in 2015 (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). Of the 12 females, four were pups and seven were pregnant. The size-at-birth for the species is 105–139 cm DW (Last et al. 2016). More than a third of specimens (38.5%) measuring <139 cm DW were therefore classified as neonates. Additional records of full-term embryos from this area were available from 1999 (Cervigón & Alcalá 1999), initially misidentified as Mobula hypostoma (Ehemann et al. 2022), and in 2007 (Ehemann et al. 2022). Northern Macanao is an important reproductive area for Sicklefin Devil Rays, for which pregnant females and neonates have rarely been documented globally.

Bullnose Eagle Rays are regularly captured in this area. Weekly surveys of fishery landings were conducted between October 2005–December 2007 and between January–December 2013 from a total of 225 fishing trips (Tagliafico et al. 2016). A total of 187 Bullnose Eagle Rays were examined and ranged in size from 22.8–118 cm DW. Around 10% of the catches were neonates (<30 cm DW) or YOY (<40 cm DW). The size-at-birth for the species is ~25 cm DW (Last et al. 2016). Additionally, two gravid females and one post-gravid female were captured in this area (Tagliafico et al. 2016). A second survey conducted 21 landing site visits to La Pared between May–December 2014 (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). A total of 210 specimens were recorded, of which 53% were females. A quarter of females (24%; n = 27) were pregnant. Although the species is captured year-round, most pregnant individuals (93%) were caught in May (n = 7), August (n = 10), and September (n = 8), indicating some seasonality in the reproductive cycle. Embryos at different stages of development were observed, including full-term embryos (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). These results show that the area is important for the gestation, potential pupping, and early life stages of Bullnose Eagle Rays.

The Chola Guitarfish is one of the most captured ray species year-round in this area (Tagliafico et al. 2013; LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). Weekly surveys of fishery captures between January–December 2007 examined a total of 210 specimens (159 females and 51 males; Tagliafico et al. 2013). Most individuals were mature (81%), and 27% of females were gravid. Females were captured throughout the year, but there were two seasonal peaks for pregnant individuals in February–March and in September. A total of 96 embryos were recorded with a size range of 2–19 cm total length (TL), with a maximum of four embryos per litter (Tagliafico et al. 2013). A second study examining fishery landings in La Pared, in this area, conducted 12 visits in 2015 and 2024 (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). A total of 95 specimens were recorded including 79 females, of which almost half (45%) were pregnant. They carried 2–6 embryos, and different stages of development were observed, including full-term embryos (LA Zambrano et al. unpubl. data 2025). Together, this information supports the continued importance of this area for the reproduction for Chola Guitarfish.