Population structure and residency of whale sharks Rhincodon typus at Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras. Issue 3 (8th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fox, S.; Foisy, I.; De La Parra Venegas, R.; Galván Pastoriza, B. E.; Graham, R. T.; Hoffmayer, E. R.; Holmberg, J.; Pierce, S. J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of fish biology. Volume 83:Issue 3(2013)
• Page Start: 574
• Page End: 587
• Publication Date: 2013-08-08
• Subjects: Fishes -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 597
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12195
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1112

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jfb12195-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="jfb12195-para-0001">There were 479 reported whale shark <italic>Rhincodon typus</italic> encounters between 1999 and 2011 at the island of Utila, which forms part of the Meso‐American Barrier Reef System (MBRS) in the western Caribbean Sea. The majority of <italic>R. typus</italic> were found to feed on small bait fish associated with various tuna species. Ninety‐five individual <italic>R. typus</italic>, ranging from 2 to 11 m total length (<italic>L</italic>_T), were identified through their unique spot patterns. A significant male bias (65%) was present. There was no significant difference between the mean ± <sc>s.d</sc>. <italic>L</italic>_T of female (6·66 ± 1·65 m) and male (6·25 ± 1·60 m) <italic>R. typus</italic>. Most <italic>R. typus</italic> were transient to Utila, with 78% sighted only within a single calendar year, although some individuals were sighted in up to 5 years. Mean residency time was modelled to be 11·76 days using maximum likelihood methods.</p> </abstract>