Australian scientists from Murdoch University have filmed and shown a rare video showing the courtship of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish on Earth. To work It was published In the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science (FMS).
Until recently, data on the mating behavior of whale sharks covered only two sites in the wild: near St Helena in the South Atlantic and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
In the new study, the team systematized the results of annual observations conducted at Ningaloo Reef from 2009 to 2024.
The research team recorded the ratio of males to females and other information during the expeditions. In 2024, experts managed to discover and film a pair of whale sharks in the process of courting.
According to scientists, during mating games, males chase females and gently bite their tails.
The authors of the report stated that they do not know whether the sharks managed to mate successfully, because the female has not yet reached sexual maturity, its length is about seven meters, while adults grow up to 10-12 meters.
The researchers emphasized that their observations broaden the understanding of whale sharks’ mating behavior.
Previously, scientists for the first time filmed killer whales prey on sharks.
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Source: Gazeta
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