Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, aggregate around offshore platforms in Qatari waters of the Arabian Gulf to feed on fish spawn.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Robinson DP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3596407 | biostudies-literature | 2013
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, aggregate around offshore platforms in Qatari waters of the Arabian Gulf to feed on fish spawn.
Robinson David P DP Jaidah Mohammed Y MY Jabado Rima W RW Lee-Brooks Katie K Nour El-Din Nehad M NM Al Malki Ameena A AA Elmeer Khaled K McCormick Paul A PA Henderson Aaron C AC Pierce Simon J SJ Ormond Rupert F G RF
PloS one 20130313 3
Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, are known to aggregate to feed in a small number of locations in tropical and subtropical waters. Here we document a newly discovered major aggregation site for whale sharks within the Al Shaheen oil field, 90 km off the coast of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. Whale sharks were observed between April and September, with peak numbers observed between May and August. Density estimates of up to 100 sharks within an area of 1 km(2) were recorded. Sharks ranged between four ...[more]
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