Influence of Environmental Factors on Prey Discrimination of Bait-Attracted White Sharks from Gansbaai, South Africa

Abstract

The influence of environmental factors on prey discrimination of bait-attracted white sharks was studied over a six-year period (2008–2013) at Dyer Island Nature Reserve (Gansbaai, South Africa). Across 240 bait-attracted feeding events observed in this period, both immature and mature white sharks were attracted by the seal-shaped decoy rather than the tuna bait, except for the years 2008 and 2011. Tide ranges, underwater visibility, water temperature, and sea conditions were, in decreasing order, the factors which drove white sharks to select the seal-shaped decoy. High tide lowered the minimum depth from which sharks could approach seals close to the shore, while extended visibility helped the sharks in making predatory choices towards the more energy-rich prey source, the odorless seal-shaped decoy. On the contrary, warmer water is associated with an increase in phytoplankton that reduces underwater visibility and increases the diversity of teleosts including tuna—a known prey of white sharks—driving the sharks to favor the tuna bait. Overall, sea conditions were almost always slightly rough, ensuring a good average underwater visibility. Recommendations for future research work at this site are presented.

A diverse assemblage of Ptychodus species (Elasmobranchii: Ptychodontidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Ukraine, with comments on possible diversification drivers during the Cenomanian

“…Ptychodus species thus could have sought new hotspots of prey abundance across Europe and found there a “breeding ground” for its subsequent maximum success in terms of species diversity and geographical distribution during the Turonian-Coniacian (e.g., Hamm, 2020 ; Amadori, 2022 ). However, sharks are highly susceptible to climatic and environmental fluctuations (e.g., Bernal et al, 2012 ; Schlaff et al, 2014 ; Munroe et al, 2014 ; Reinero et al, 2022 ). Therefore, abiotic factors during the early Late Cretaceous, such as marine transgressions and climate warming of surface waters (e.g., Pearce et al, 2009 ; Linnert et al, 2011 ; Jouve et al, 2017 ), could have also driven the diversification of Ptychodus (“Court Jester hypothesis”; Barnosky, 2001 ; Benton, 2009 ).…”