Young whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, feeding on a copepod bloom near La Paz, Mexico

Clark, Eugenie; Nelson, Diane R.

doi:10.1023/a:1007312310127

Cited by 108 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In this study, the sites with the highest zooplankton biomass coincided with those where R. typus abundance was greatest, indicating that the abundance of this species is positively related to food availability. This agrees with reports for other R. typus aggregation sites (Clark & Nelson, 1997;Colman, 1997;Eckert & Stewart, 2001;Wilson et al, 2001;Hoffmayer et al, 2007;Rowat & Brooks, 2012;French et al, 2013;Ketchum et al, 2013;Robinson et al, 2013;Rowat et al, 2013). A close relationship between R. typus presence and zooplankton abundance is evident from greater zooplankton biomass in R. typus presence sites than in non-presence sites.…”

Section: H a R Ac T E R I Z At I O N O F H I G H R T Y P U S A B supporting

confidence: 93%

Distribution and feeding habitat characterization of whale sharks Rhincodon typus in a protected area in the north Caribbean Sea

Cárdenas-Palomo

Herrera-Silveira

Velázquez‐Abunader

et al. 2014

Journal of Fish Biology

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The relationship between the distribution of the whale shark Rhincodon typus and hydrobiological variables in the Caribbean Sea during 2005-2009 was analysed. Monthly trips were made to the R. typus aggregation area during the months when this species is present in the region (May to September) to record sightings and hydrological data and to collect samples to determine nutrients, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and zooplankton biomass. A total of 2104 R. typus were counted and three zones of high abundance were identified: Cabo-Catoche, Contoy (both within the Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve, WSBR) and the zone knows as Afuera. The zones of greatest R. typus density within the WSBR were characterized by high Chl a concentrations (median: 1·1 mg m , interpercentile range: 0·5-1·8 mg m ) and high nutrient concentrations, such as ammonium (median: 2·5 µmol l , interpercentile range: 0·5-6·4 µmol l ), due to the influence of local upwelling. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to explore the relationship between R. typus distribution and the environmental variables inside WSBR. Zooplankton biomass was the most influential environmental variable, supporting the close relationship between R. typus distribution and biological productivity. Copepods were the dominant zooplankton group within the WSBR. In the Afuera zone, there were large R. typus aggregations (>80 individuals) associated with zooplankton dominated by fish eggs and significantly higher mean ± s.d. biomass (3356·1 ± 1960·8 mg m ) compared with that recorded inside the WSBR (103·5 ± 57·2 mg m ). The differences among zones generated changes in R. typus distribution patterns and provided opportunities to develop local management strategies for this species.

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Section: H a R Ac T E R I Z At I O N O F H I G H R T Y P U S A B supporting

confidence: 93%

Distribution and feeding habitat characterization of whale sharks Rhincodon typus in a protected area in the north Caribbean Sea

Cárdenas-Palomo

Herrera-Silveira

Velázquez‐Abunader

et al. 2014

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…Adults, specifically pregnant females, are seasonally present at Banco Gordo and Espíritu Santo Island (Eckert & Stewart, 2001; Ramírez-Macías et al, 2007; Ramírez-Macías, Vázquez-Haikin & Vázquez-Juárez, 2012; Ketchum, Galván-Magaña & Klimley, 2013). Juvenile whale sharks have been routinely observed feeding on calanoid copepods in shallow waters off Bahía de Los Angeles (Nelson & Eckert, 2007), and separately at Bahía de La Paz (Clark & Nelson, 1997; Hacohen-Domené, Galván-Magaña & Ketchum-Mejia, 2006). Long-term photo-ID from these areas, which have significant connectivity between them, found that the sharks present were typically juveniles, and predominantly males (Ramírez-Macías, Vázquez-Haikin & Vázquez-Juárez, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most whale shark studies have taken place at their coastal feeding aggregations, where they typically exploit an ephemeral abundance of plankton or nekton in surface waters (Clark & Nelson, 1997; Ketchum, Galván-Magaña & Klimley, 2013; Robinson et al, 2013; Rohner et al, 2015a). Whale sharks also make deep dives, to a maximum-recorded depth of 1,888 m (Hueter, Tyminski & De la Parra, 2013), and appear to use meso- and bathypelagic depths regularly (Brunnschweiler et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Globally, it is one of the only areas from which immature whale sharks, of both sexes, and large mature females have been routinely recorded (Clark & Nelson, 1997; Eckert & Stewart, 2001; Ramírez-Macías et al, 2007; Ramírez-Macías, Vázquez-Haikin & Vázquez-Juárez, 2012; Ketchum, Galván-Magaña & Klimley, 2013; Cochran et al, 2016). Some of the few reported neonatal whale sharks have also been found in this region (Wolfson, 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oceanic adults, coastal juveniles: tracking the habitat use of whale sharks off the Pacific coast of Mexico

Ramírez‐Macías¹,

Queiroz

Pierce

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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Eight whale sharks tagged with pop-up satellite archival tags off the Gulf of California, Mexico, were tracked for periods of 14-134 days. Five of these sharks were adults, with four females visually assessed to be pregnant. At least for the periods they were tracked, juveniles remained in the Gulf of California while adults moved offshore into the eastern Pacific Ocean. We propose that parturition occurs in these offshore waters. Excluding two juveniles that remained in the shallow tagging area for the duration of tracking, all sharks spent 65 ± 20.7% (SD) of their time near the surface, even over deep water, often in association with frontal zones characterized by cool-water upwelling. While these six sharks all made dives into the meso-or bathypelagic zones, with two sharks reaching the maximum depth recordable by the tags (1285.8 m), time spent at these depths represented a small proportion of the overall tracks. Most deep dives (72.7%) took place during the day, particularly during the early morning and late afternoon. Pronounced habitat differences by ontogenetic stage suggest that adult whale sharks are less likely to frequent coastal waters after the onset of maturity.

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“…Binocular overlap in most shark species is small, resulting in blind spots directly in front of their noses and probably immediately behind their heads when stationary (Hueter et al, 2004). Because of the broad, blunt shape of the head and the position of the eyes well back from the apex of the snout, this is almost certainly the case in this species, and it is suggested that vision may play a smaller part in feeding than olfaction (Clarke & Nelson, 1997). Rhincodon typus do not have a nictitating membrane that can be closed like an eyelid to protect the eye, but do have highly developed muscles that allow the whole eye to roll back into its socket (Norman, 1999;Martin, 2007).…”

Section: S E N S E Smentioning

confidence: 92%

A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus

Rowat

Brooks

2012

Journal of Fish Biology

180

212

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Although the whale shark Rhincodon typus is the largest extant fish, it was not described until 1828 and by 1986 there were only 320 records of this species. Since then, growth in tourism and marine recreation globally has lead to a significant increase in the number of sightings and several areas with annual occurrences have been identified, spurring a surge of research on the species. Simultaneously, there was a great expansion in targeted R. typus fisheries to supply the Asian restaurant trade, as well as a largely un-quantified by-catch of the species in purse-seine tuna fisheries. Currently R. typus is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable, due mainly to the effects of targeted fishing in two areas. Photo-identification has shown that R. typus form seasonal size and sex segregated feeding aggregations and that a large proportion of fish in these aggregations are philopatric in the broadest sense, tending to return to, or remain near, a particular site. Somewhat conversely, satellite tracking studies have shown that fish from these aggregations can migrate at ocean-basin scales and genetic studies have, to date, found little graphic differentiation globally. Conservation approaches are now informed by observational and environmental studies that have provided insight into the feeding habits of the species and its preferred habitats. Notwithstanding these advances, there remain notable gaps in the knowledge of this species particularly with respect to the life history of neonates and adults who are not found in the feeding aggregations.

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Young whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, feeding on a copepod bloom near La Paz, Mexico

Cited by 108 publications

References 17 publications

Distribution and feeding habitat characterization of whale sharks Rhincodon typus in a protected area in the north Caribbean Sea

Distribution and feeding habitat characterization of whale sharks Rhincodon typus in a protected area in the north Caribbean Sea

Oceanic adults, coastal juveniles: tracking the habitat use of whale sharks off the Pacific coast of Mexico

A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus

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