Intraspecific variability in diet and implied foraging ranges of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef exhibit significant intraspecific variability in diet, suggesting they forage over wide and deep-ranging habitats. Using signature fatty acid (FA) analysis of subdermal tissue, researchers identified distinct dietary groups among whale sharks, indicating differences in feeding habitats rather than sex or size-class. This method revealed that whale sharks likely feed on prey from meso- and bathypelagic sources, including deeper waters beyond accessible sampling depths. The study also found year-to-year variations in dietary patterns, potentially linked to changes in primary and secondary producers. These findings imply that whale sharks inhabit patchy tropical and open ocean environments, requiring extensive foraging ranges to meet their dietary needs.

Zamora, L. M., Virtue, P., Pethybridge, H. R., Meekan, M. G., Thums, M., & Nichols, P. D. (2016). Intraspecific variability in diet and implied foraging ranges of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The 4th International Whale Shark Conference. https://doi.org/10.5339/qproc.2016.iwsc4.69