Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus (Smith 1828)
A Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus, on Ningaloo Reef, off Western Australia, April 2007. Source: Erik Schlogl / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial
Video of a Whale Shark surrounded by Cobia at Flat Rock, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, March 2017.
Video of a Whaleshark at Batu Katoka, Indonesia.Video of a shoal of baitfish using a whale shark to protect them from voracious Yellowfin Tuna. Make sure you watch right to the end of the 3.5 minutes.
Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus (Smith 1828)
More Info
|
Distribution |
In Australia, Whale Sharks occur mainly off northern Australia, with patchy records from other states. On the west coast, the most southerly record is Albany in south Western Australia. On the east coast, a dead juvenile washed ashore near Green Cape, New South Wales in 2021. The species also occurs at Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species is found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters, in both coastal and oceanic habitats. Although Whale Sharks usually inhabit epipelagic waters (= above 200m), tagging studies have shown that they can dive to at least 1928 m - possibly to feed on mesopelagic and bathypelagic prey. |
|
Features |
Vertebrae 174 (82 precaudal); Head length about 24% of TL.Characterised by an extremely wide terminal mouth, very long gill slits, several longitudinal raised ridges along the full length of the body, a large lunate caudal fin with the upper lobe extending almost vertically. |
|
Size |
While the IUCN reports the maximum length as 20 m TL, the species usually attains a maximum length of about 12 metres. |
|
Colour |
Dark grey to brownish dorsally, with many white to yellow spots and some vertical pale stripes, spots smallest and most numerous anteriorly, extending onto fins; stripes onto 1st dorsal fin; underside white to yellow; reportedly, back and sides occasionally greenish-grey, ventral surface reddish-white. |
|
Feeding |
Planktivore - feeds by filtering zooplankton from the water column. This versatile suction filter-feeder consumes mainly plankton filtered from the water by an internal "sieve" formed from the mesh-like gill rakers. Whale sharks are migratory, and often form seasonal aggregations close to shore when food is abundant. These aggregations may coincide with fish spawning events and zooplankton blooms. |
|
Biology |
Little is known of Whale Shark reproductive biology. They are ovoviviparous, meaning that they give birth to live young that have hatched from their egg cases within the uterus of the female (Joung et al. 1996). One female whale shark carried more than 300 embryos in varying stages of development within her uterus. The embryos ranged from 42 cm total length (TL) embryos still in egg cases, to hatched embryos free-living in the uterus, measuring 58-64 cm TL. Very few small whale sharks have ever been seen, and the smallest to date is a pup, measuring 46 cm TL, caught on hook and line in 2009 near Donsol in the Philippines (Aca & Schmidt 2011). |
|
Fisheries |
The species is fished commercially in parts of its range. Largest of living fishes, but harmless to humans; highly migratory; versatile suction filter-feeder feeding mainly on plankton filtered from by internal "sieve" formed from mesh-like gill rakers; pregnant female observed in Taiwan with about 300 embryos; size at birth 55–64 cm; males mature by 7.0 m, females at 10.6 m; rated vulnerable by IUCN (Red List for Threatened Animals); exploited by harpoon fisheries elsewhere but not caught locally. |
|
Conservation |
The Whale Shark has been assessed by the IUCN as Endangered. |
|
Remarks |
Whale sharks are negatively buoyant and therefore naturally sink. When feeding, they glide gently down to feed on krill in deep water, thereby not expending much energy swimming. Meekan et al (2015) estimated that this behaviour, followed by a steep return to warmer surface waters, allows whale sharks to conserve up to 30% of the energy they would use if just swimming horizontally. |
|
Etymology |
Rhincodon is from the Greek rhinos meaning "rasp", and odon meaning "tooth" ... as described by Smith, 1829: “Teeth small, slightly curved, placed in longitudinal rows, and altogether so disposed towards the anterior edges of jaws as to exhibit the resemblance of a rasp or file lying across each …”. The specific name is from the Latin typus, and refers to the type species of the genus. |
|
Species Citation |
Rhincodon typus Smith 1828, South African Commercial Advertiser 3(145): 2. Type locality: Table Bay, South Africa, southeastern Atlantic. |
|
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2021 |
|
Resources |
Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus (Smith 1828)
References
Aca, E.Q. & J.V. Schmidt. 2011. Revised size limit for viability in the wild: neonatal and young of the year whale sharks identified in the Philippines. Asia Life Sciences 20(2): 361-367.
Anderson, D., Kobryn, H., Norman, B., Bejder, L., Tyne, J. & Loneragan, N.R. 2014. Spatial and temporal patterns of nature-based tourism interactions with whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 148: 109-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2014.05.023
Andrzejaczek. S., Meeuwig, J., Rowat, D., Pierce, S., Davies, T., Fisher, R. & Meekan, M. 2016. The ecological connectivity of whale shark aggregations in the Indian Ocean: a photo-identification approach. Royal Society Open Science 3: 160455. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160455 Open access
Arzoumanian, Z., Holmberg, J. & Norman, B. 2005. An astronomical pattern‐matching algorithm for computer‐aided identification of whale sharks Rhincodon typus. Journal of Applied Ecology 42: 999-1011.
Borrell, A., Aguilar, A., Gazo, M., Kumarran, R.P. & Cardona, L. 2011. Stable isotope profiles in whale shark (Rhincodon typus) suggest segregation and dissimilarities in the diet depending on sex and size. Environmental Biology of Fishes 92: 559-567.
Bradshaw, C.J., Fitzpatrick, B.M., Steinberg, C.C., Brook, B.W. & Meekan, M.G. 2008. Decline in whale shark size and abundance at Ningaloo Reef over the past decade: the world’s largest fish is getting smaller. Biological Conservation 141: 1894-1905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.05.007
Bradshaw, C.J.A., H.F. Mollet & M.G. Meekan. 2007. Inferring population trends for the world’s largest fish from mark-recapture estimates of survival. Journal of Animal Ecology 76: 480-489. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01201.x
Brooks, K., Rowat, D., Pierce, S.J., Jouannet, D. & Vely, M. 2010. Seeing spots: photo-identification as a regional tool for whale shark identification. Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science 2: 185-194.
Brunnschweiler, J.M. & Sims, D.W. 2011. Diel oscillations in whale shark vertical movements associated with meso-and bathypelagic diving. American Fisheries Society Symposium 76: 1-14.
Capietto, A., Escalle, L., Chavance, P., Dubroca, L., Delgado de Molina, A., Murua, H., Floch, L., Damiano, A., Rowat, D & Merigot, B. 2014. Mortality of marine megafauna induced by fisheries: Insights from the whale shark, the world’s largest fish. Biological Conservation 174: 147-151.
Castro, A.L.F., Stewart, B.S., Wilson, S.G., Hueter, R.E., Meekan, M.G., Motta, P.J., Bowen, B.W. & Karl, S.A. 2007. Population genetic structure of Earth's largest fish, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus). Molecular Ecology 16: 5183-5192.
Catlin, J. & Jones, R. 2010. Whale shark tourism at Ningaloo Marine Park: A longitudinal study of wildlife tourism. Tourism Management 31: 386-394.
Chang, W.B., Leu, M.Y. & Fang, L.S. 1997. Embryos of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus: Early growth and size distribution. Copeia 1997: 444-446.
Colman, J. 1997. A review of the biology and ecology of the whale shark. Journal of Fish Biology 51: 1219-1234. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1997.tb01138.x
Compagno, L.J.V. 1998. Families Ginglymostomatidae, Stegostomatidae, Rhincodontidae. pp. 1260-1263 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 2 687-1396 pp.
Compagno, L. 2001. Sharks of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Davidson, L.N.K., Krawchuk, M.A. & Dulvy, N.K. 2016. Why have global shark and ray landings declined: improved management or overfishing? Fish and Fisheries 17(2): 438–458.
Davies, T.K., Stevens, G., Meekan, M.G., Struve, J. & Rowcliffe, J.M. 2012. Can citizen science monitor whale-shark aggregations? Investigating bias in mark – recapture modelling using identification photographs sourced from the public. Wildlife Research 39: 696-704.
Duffy, C.A.J. 2002. Distribution, seasonality, lengths and feeding behaviour of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) observed in New Zealand waters. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36: 565-570.
Gleiss, A.C., Norman, B.N. & Wilson, R.P. 2011. Moved by that sinking feeling: variable diving geometry underlies movement strategies in whale sharks. Functional Ecology 25: 595-607.
Gleiss, A.C., Wright, S., Liebsch, N., Wilson, R.P. & Norman, B. 2013. Contrasting diel patterns in vertical movement and locomotor activity of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. Marine Biology 160: 2981-2992.
Glover, C.J.M. 1994. Family Rhincodontidae. pp. 118-119 fig. 74 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Graham, R.T. & Roberts, C.M.2007. Assessing the size, growth rate and structure of a seasonal population of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus Smith 1828) using conventional tagging and photo identification. Fisheries Research 84: 71-80.
Holmberg, J., Norman, B. & Arzoumanian, Z. 2009. Estimating population size, structure, and residency time for whale sharks Rhincodon typus through collaborative photo-identification. Endangered Species Research 7: 39–53. doi:10.3354/esr00186 Open access
Hueter, R.E., Tyminski, J.P. & de la Parra, R. 2013. Horizontal movements, migration patterns, and population structure of Whale Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Caribbean Sea. PLoS ONE 8(8): e71883. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071883 Open access
Hobbs, J-P.A., Frisch, A.J., Hamanaka, T., McDonald, C.A., Gilligan, J.J. & Neilson, J. 2009. Seasonal aggregation of juvenile whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs 28: 577.
Holmberg, J., Norman, B. & Arzoumanian, Z. 2008. Robust, comparable population metrics through collaborative photo-monitoring of whale sharks Rhincodon typus. Ecological Applications 18: 222-233.
Holmberg, J., Norman, B. & Arzoumanian, Z. 2009. Estimating population size, structure, and residency time for whale sharks Rhincodon typus through collaborative photo-identification. Endangered Species Research 7: 39-53.
Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3)
Joung, S.J., Chen, C.T., Clark, E., Uchida, S. & Huang, W.Y.P. 1996. The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a livebearer: 300 embryos found in one ‘megamamma’ supreme. Environmental Biology of Fishes 46: 219-223.
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.
Mau, R. & Wilson, E. 2007. Industry trends and whale shark ecology based on tourism operator logbooks at Ningaloo Marine Park, pp. 45-52. In: Irvine, T.R. & Keesing, J.K. (eds) The First International Whale Shark Conference: Promoting International Collaboration in Whale Shark Conservation, Science and Management.
Meekan, M.G., Bradshaw, CJA., Press, M., McLean, C., Richards, A., Quasnichka, S. & Taylor, J.G. 2006. Population size and structure of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 319: 275-285. doi:10.3354/meps319275
Meekan, M.G., Fuiman, L.A., Davis, R., Berger, Y. & Thums, M. 2015. Swimming strategy and body plan of the world's largest fish: implications for foraging efficiency and thermoregulation. Frontiers in Marine Science 2: 64. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2015.00064 PDF Open access
Meekan, M.G., Jarman, S.N., McLean, C. & Schultz, M.B. 2009. DNA evidence of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) feeding on red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis) larvae at Christmas Island, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 60: 607-609.
Norman, B.M., Reynolds, S. & Morgan, D.L. 2016. Does the whale shark aggregate along the Western Australian coastline beyond Ningaloo Reef? Pacific Conservation Biology 22: 72–80. doi:10.1071/PC15045 Abstract
Norman, B.M. & Stevens, J.D. 2007. Size and maturity status of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Fisheries Research 84(1): 81-86 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2006.11.015
Ong, J.J.L., Meekan, M.G., Hsu, H.H., Fanning, L.P. & Campana, S.E. 2020. Annual bands in vertebrae Vvlidated by bomb radiocarbon assays provide estimates of age and growth of Whale Sharks. Frontiers in Marine Science 7: 188 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00188
Pepperell, J. 2010. Fishes of the Open Ocean a Natural History & Illustrated Guide. Sydney : University of New South Wales Press Ltd 266 pp.
Pierce, S.J. & Norman, B. 2016. Rhincodon typus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T19488A2365291. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T19488A2365291.en. Downloaded on 26 July 2019.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.
Reynolds, S.D., Norman, B.M., Beger, M., Franklin, C.E. & Dwyer, R.G. 2017. Movement, distribution and marine reserve use by an endangered migratory giant. Diversity and Distributions 12 pp. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.12618/full Open access
Rohner, C.A., Couturier, L.I.E., Richardson, A.J., Pierce, S.J., Prebble, C.E.M., Gibbons, M.J. & Nichols, P.D. 2013. Diet of whale sharks Rhincodon typus inferred from stomach content and signature fatty acid analyses. Marine Ecology Progress Series 493: 219-235.
Rohner, C.A., Pierce, S.J., Marshall, A.D., Weeks, S.J., Bennett, M.B. & Richardson, A.J. 2013. Trends in sightings and environmental influences on a coastal aggregation of manta rays and whale sharks. Marine Ecology Progress Series 482: 153-168.
Rohner, C.A., Richardson, A.J., Prebble, C.E.M., Marshall, A.D., Bennett, M.B., Weeks, S.J., Cliff, G., Wintner, S.P. & Pierce, S.J. 2015. Laser photogrammetry improves size and demographic estimates for whale sharks. PeerJ 3: e886.
Rohner, C.A., A.J. Richardson, A.D. Marshall, S.J. Weeks & S.J. Pierce. 2011. How large is the world's largest fish? Measuring whale sharks Rhincodon typus with laser photogrammetry. Journal of Fish Biology 78(1): 378–385.
Rowat, D. & Brooks, K.S. 2012. A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus. Journal of Fish Biology 80: 1019-1056. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03252.x
Rowat, D., M.A. Gore, B.B. Baloch, Z. Islam, E. Ahmad, Q.M. Ali, R.M. Culloch, S. Hameed, S.A. Hasnain, B. Hussain, S. Kiani, J. Siddiqui, R.F. Ormond, N. Henn & M. Khan. 2008. New records of neonatal and juvenile whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) from the Indian Ocean. Environmental Biology of Fishes 82: 215-219.
Schmidt, J.V., Chen, C.-C., Sheikh, S.I., Meekan, M.G., Norman, B.N. & Joung, S.-J. 2010. Paternity analysis in a litter of whale shark embryos. Endangered Species Research 12: 117-124.
Schmidt, J.V., Chen, C.C., Sheikh, S.I., Meekan, M.G., Norman, B.M. & Joung, S.J. 2010. Paternity analysis in a litter of whale shark embryos. Endangered Species Research 12: 117-124.
Schmidt, J.V., Schmidt, C.L., Ozer, F., Ernst, R.E., Feldheim, K.A, Ashley, M.V. & Levine, M. 2009. Low genetic differentiation across three major ocean populations of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus. PloS ONE 4: e4988. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004988
Sequeira, A., Mellin, C., Rowat, D., Meekan, M.G. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2012. Ocean-scale prediction of whale shark distribution. Diversity and Distributions 18: 504-518.
Sequeira, A.M.M., Mellin, C. & Floch, L. 2014. Inter-ocean asynchrony in whale shark occurrence patterns. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 450: 21-29. DOI: 10.1016/j/jembe.2013.10.019.
Sequeira, A.M.M., Mellin, C., Delean, S., Meekan, M.G. & Bradshaw, C.J A. 2013. Spatial and temporal predictions of inter-decadal trends in Indian Ocean whale sharks. Marine Ecology Progress Series 478: 185-195.
Sequeira, A.M.M., Mellin, C., Fordham, D.A., Meekan, M.G. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2014. Predicting current and future global distributions of whale sharks. Global Change Biology 20: 778-789.
Sequeira, A.M.M., Mellin, C., Meekan, M.G., Sims, D.W. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2013. Inferred global connectivity of whale shark Rhincodon typus populations. Journal of Fish Biology 82: 367-389.
Sleeman, J.C., Meekan, M.G., Wilson, S.G., Polovina, J.J., Stevens, J.D., Boggs, G.S. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2010. To go or not to go with the flow: Environmental influences on whale shark movement patterns. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 390: 84-98.
Speed, C.W., Meekan, M.G., Rowat, D., Pierce, S.J., Marshall, A.D. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2008. Scarring patterns and relative mortality rates of Indian Ocean whale sharks. Journal of Fish Biology 72: 1488-1503.
Sleeman, J.C., Meekan, M.G., Wilson, S.G., Polovina, J.J., Stevens, J.D., Boggs, G.S. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2010. To go or not to go with the flow: environmental influences on whale shark movement patterns. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 390: 84-98. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2010.05.009
Sleeman, J.C., Meekan, M.G., B.M. Fitzpatrick, Steinberg, C.C., Ancel, R. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2010. Oceanographic and atmospheric processes influence the abundance of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 382:77-81. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2009.10.015
Speed, C.W., Meekan, M.G. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2007. Spot the match – wildlife photo-identification using information theory. Frontiers in Zoology 4: 2. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-4-2
Speed, C.W., Meekan, M.G., Rowat, D., Pierce, S., Marshall, A.D. & Bradshaw, C.J.A.. 2008. Scarring patterns and relative mortality rates of Indian Ocean whale sharks. Journal of Fish Biology 72: 1488-1503. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.01810.x
Speed, C.W., Meekan, M.G., Russell, B. & Bradshaw, C.J.A. 2008. Recent whale shark (Rhincodon typus) beach strandings in Australia. Marine Biodiversity Records 2: e15. doi:10.1017/S1755267208000158
Stevens, J.D. 2007. Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) biology and ecology: A review of the primary literature. Fisheries Research 84: 4-9.
Taylor, J.G. 1996. Seasonal occurrence, distribution and movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 47: 637-642.
Vignaud, T.M., Maynard, J.A, Leblois, R., Meekan, M.G., Vázquez-Juárez, R., Ramírez-Macías, D., Pierce, S.J., Rowat, D., Berumen, M.L., Beeravolu, C., Baksay, S. & Planes, S. 2014. Genetic structure of populations of whale sharks among ocean basins and evidence for their historic rise and recent decline. Molecular Ecology 23: 2590-2601.
White, W.T. 2008. Shark Families Heterodontidae to Pristiophoridae. pp. 32-100 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
White, W.T. & Cavanagh, R.D. 2007. Whale shark landings in Indonesian artisanal shark and ray fisheries. Fisheries Research 84: 128-131.
Wilson, S.G., Taylor, J.G. & Pearce, A.F. 2001. The seasonal aggregation of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia: currents, migrations and the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. Environmental Biology of Fishes 61: 1-11.
Wolfson, F.H. 1983. Records of 7 juveniles of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus. Journal of Fish Biology 22: 647-655.
Yopak, K. & Frank, L. 2009. Brain size and brain organization of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, using magnetic resonance imaging. Brain, Behavior and Evolution 74(2): 121-142. DOI: 10.1159/000235962 Abstract
