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.