New insights into the South Ari atoll whale shark, Rhincodon typus, aggregation

Background Examples of aggregations of large Chondrichthyes are well known worldwide and occur mostly in response to seasonal increases in prey abundance. In the Maldives, whale sharks, Rhincodon typus , are thought to have a semi-annual residency pattern, moving west from December to April and east from May to November. However, an important aggregation of predominantly immature male whale sharks seems to be persistent all year round throughout...