Love bites? Pre-copulatory behaviours of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Christine Barry; Emily Lester; Micheal P. Doane; Luciana C. Ferreira; Michele Thums; Adrian C. Gleiss; Mark G. Meekan

doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072

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Love bites? Pre-copulatory behaviours of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Love bites? Pre-copulatory behaviours of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Christine Barry, Emily Lester, Micheal P. Doane, Luciana C. Ferreira, Michele Thums, Adrian C. Gleiss and Mark G. Meekan

Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol.11, 1507072

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072

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Abstract

courtship

reproduction

elasmobranch

sexual segregation

mating activity

intra-specific aggression

sex ratio

marine megafauna

Very little is known about the reproductive behaviours of whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus ). Here, we describe field observations of courtship behaviour by a whale shark at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. We witnessed and recorded following and biting behaviours by a sexually mature male of a smaller female. Following and biting are common events during courtship and copulation of other species of elasmobranchs. Our observations are consistent with earlier reports of courting behaviours in whale sharks provided by fishers, the pilot of a light plane and observations of courtship by a sexually mature male towards females held in aquaria.

Details

Title: Love bites? Pre-copulatory behaviours of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Authors/Creators: Christine Barry - Murdoch University
Emily Lester - Edith Cowan University (Australia, Perth)
Micheal P. Doane - Flinders University
Luciana C. Ferreira - Australian Institute of Marine Science
Michele Thums - Australian Institute of Marine Science
Adrian C. Gleiss - Murdoch University
Mark G. Meekan - The University of Western Australia
Publication Details: Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol.11, 1507072
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Number of pages: 6
Grant note: Santos Ltd.Australian Institute of Marine Science, The Jock Clough Marine FoundationMinderoo FoundationAustralian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship
The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was funded by Santos Ltd. the Australian Institute of Marine Science, The Jock Clough Marine Foundation, and The Minderoo Foundation. Santos Ltd. was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article, or the decision to submit it for publication. CB was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.
Identifiers: 991005728003107891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Harry Butler Institute; Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.2 Marine Biology; 3.2.92 Fisheries Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Marine & Freshwater Biology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science