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Deep‐diving behaviour of a whale shark Rhincodon typus during long‐distance movement in the western Indian Ocean
Author(s) -
Brunnschweiler J. M.,
Baensch H.,
Pierce S. J.,
Sims D. W.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.02155.x
Subject(s) - mesopelagic zone , bathyal zone , whale , fishery , biology , range (aeronautics) , fish <actinopterygii> , habitat , oceanography , pelagic zone , ecology , benthic zone , geology , materials science , composite material
A whale shark Rhincodon typus satellite tagged off the coast of Mozambique showed a highly directional movement across the Mozambique Channel and around the southern tip of Madagascar, a minimum distance of 1200 km in 87 days. Dives to depths well into the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones (1286 m maximum depth) were recorded in a bathymetrically non‐constraining habitat. The water temperature range recorded during the fish’s movement was 3·4–29·9° C.