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

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2024

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=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.