For whale shark littters use this link. For whale shark bibliography (needs an update) use this link.
Photo/Date | Reference | Sex | TL (m) | W (kg) | PCL (m) | Comments |
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The condition factor (CF) = Mass (kg)/TL(m)^3 is a good indicator to catch outliers w.r.t. mass or total length. From the mass-length equation (M = 12.10 * TL^2.862) reported by Hsu et al (2014) the condition factors for TL = 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 15 m are 12.1, 10.7, 9.7, 9.2, 8.8, 8.3, respectively. | ||||||
Dec 02, 2014 |
EarthTouch News Network |
~0.456 | What was this baby whale shark doing in a Maldives swimming pool? | |||
March 07, 2017 |
EarthTouch News Network |
~~0.6 |
Baby whale shark rescued from gillnet in India | |||
Rowat and Brooks (2012) | 0.46-0.94 Size at birth |
"Probably the most interesting aspect re growth and neonatals is in the Reproduction & Life history section in Rowat & Brooks 2012: a much larger size range for embryos and neonates with an embryo with yolk sac attached of 94 cmTL and full term neonates with vitelline scars of only 46 cm TL. So likely a much broader range of birth sizes than originally thought from the Joung paper." | ||||
Wolfson (1983) | 0.55 - 0.93 | Wolfson (1983) described seven free-ranging neonate specimens (55–93 cm TL) | ||||
Rowat et al. (2007) | 0.586 - <3 | "The finding of neonatal whale sharks from Northern Indian Ocean waters off of Pakistan and Bangladesh and the description of several very small whale sharks from around Seychelles during the last few years are reported." | ||||
Hsu et al (2014) | 1.60 - 9.88 | CF ~ 10.7 - 8.8 |
92 specimens comprising 43 males (2.68–9.88 m total length [TL]), 30 females (1.60–7.02 m TL), and 19 unsexed individuals (2.83–6.67 m TL) . Using data reported in another study for 50% size at maturity for males (8.1 m TL), and the largest immature and smallest mature females (8.7 and 9.6 m TL, respectively) in the Indo-Pacific, these TLs converted to ages at maturity of 17 years for males and 19–22 years for females. The longevity was calculated to be 80.4 years. The two-parameter von Bertalanffy growth function provided the best fit without significant differences between sexes. Growth parameters were calculated for both sexes as Loo = 16.80 m TL, k = 0.037 year-1; annual band pair formation would modify these parameters to Loo =15.34 m TL, k 1⁄4 0.021 year-1. My review of Hsu et al (2014) w.r.t. growth analysis. |
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Oct 17, 2015 | Grant Walker email; <grant.s.walk@gmail.com> | ~4.6 (15 ft) | From Grant Walker: I was spearfishing off the middle islet of Anacapa Island on 10/17/15 when I observed a small 15ft whale shark come out of the blue and then hug the coast off the point that I was off of. I swam within 10ft of it for about 10 seconds before it out swam me heading west. Water temp was 73F degrees. Is there a scientist currently studying whale sharks off of Mexico/California? I know that an encounter this far north is extremely rare so I wanted to provide that info to the correct person. Please advise. |
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April 1828 | McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | ~4.6 (15 ft) | Harpooned in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Native fisherman managed to get it to shore, where, luckily, Dr. Andrew Smith, a surgeon to British troops in South Africa was able to examine it, buy its skin for 6 pounds and forward it to the Museum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. | |||
Uchida et al. (2000) AES Abstract | 2 M & 14 F | 3.1 to 6.3 | 290 to 1750 CF = 9.7-7.0 |
UCHIDA, S.;TODA, M;KAMEI, Y.;TERUYA, H. Okinawa Expo Aquarium, Okinawa, 905-0206 Japan. The husbandry of 16 whale sharks Rhincodon typus, from 1980 to 1998 at the Okinawa expo aquarium From 1980 to 1998 16 whale sharks, Rhincodon typus , were kept in captivity at Okinawa Expo Aquarium, Okinawa, Japan. They were captured around Okinawa Is. by set-nets the center of which is located at 26¡23«N, 127¡41«E from March to September. The sea water temperature of the time captured were 21.1 to 29.0¡C at the depth of 20 m. .....Link to complete abstract. | ||
27 Sep 2003 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 5.2 |
1000 CF = 7.1 |
Wu-ki Port, Taiwan. | ||
5 Feb 2005 |
Victor Lin p.c. | ~5-6? | 1500 CF ~9.0 |
A Malaysian fisherman caught a 1500kg tiger shark on Feb 5, 2005. Caught 60 miles offshore.The length of the shark is given as "more than 10 feet" which in Chinese means somewhere between 10 and 20 feet. | ||
5 June 2007 |
Richard Lord posted URL | ~6 | ~3000 CF ~ 13.9 |
A three-tonne shark, six-metres (19.6 feet) in length and
three metres (9.8 feet) in width, is transported after being caught by
fishermen on Haiyi dock of Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang province, 5
June 2007. http://www.channel4.com/news/watchlisten/gallery/gallery.jsp?id=262603&image=2 |
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Victor Lin p.c. | est. 6.75 | 2870 CF = 9.3 |
Setnet; Southern Bay, Taiwan. | |||
Feb 1999 | Duffy (2002) | 7.6 | Fig. 4. A 7.6 m total length whale shark feeding on anchovy (Engraulis australis) near Whale Island, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Two large remora (Echeneidae) are visible on the dorsal surface of the shark's head. | |||
21 May 2003 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 8.2 (27 ft) |
7020 CF = 12.7 |
Caught in set-net at Seven-star Lake, Hualien Province Taiwan. | ||
<1997 | Beckley et al. (1997) | M | 9.05 | 6.95 | ||
<1997 | Beckley et al. (1997) | M | 9.20 | 7.30 |
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1959 |
McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | F | 9.8 (32 ft) | 5000 CF = 5.3 |
A 5-ton, 32-foot Whale shark, caught by UN fishing instructor
G. S. Illugason and his crew in the Arabian Sea, is inspected by residents
of Mangalore, India. It was towed ashore after an epic, 7-hour struggle.
Castro and Clark (2000) AES Abstract gave length as 12.1 m. |
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14 Sep 2007 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 8.5? | 8500 CF ~ 13.8 |
A big whale shark was caught off FuZou, southern China on
Sep14th. It was said to be 8.5 meters long (another source says 6~7 meters)
and weighed 8.5 tons. Caudal fin; cutting through vertebrae. |
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5 m West of mouth of Havana, Cuba harbor | McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | 9000 | Was weighed piecemeal. Its total weight was ca. 9 tons. Its heart weighed 19.5 kg (43 lbs) and its liver ~ 400 kg (900 lbs). | |||
22 Sep 2005 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 10.8 | 14400 CF = 11.4 |
Estimated more than 10 tons and over 10 meter whale shark
caught on Sep 22, 2005 at Ling Po, China. This whale shark was later measured and weeighed: 10.8 m and 14400 kg. |
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10 Apr 2001 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 10360 | Setnet; Big South, Taiwan. | |||
30 March 1994 | Joung et al. 1996 | 15220 | landed in Taiwan, no other data available/collected. | |||
15 May 2002 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 16000 | Setnet; Taidung Province, Taiwan Photo shows upper tail lobe. |
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15 July 1995 | Joung et al. (1996) AES Abstract | F | 10.0 10.6? |
16000 CF = 16 |
About 300 embryos were found in the uteri. 10.6 m was reported by Castro and Clark (2000) AES Abstract. | |
<1997 | Beckley et al. (1997) | M | 10.26 | 7.80 | "Thirty specimens for South Africa described by Beckeley et al. (1997) were 4 to 11 m long." (Compagno, 2001). | |
15 April 2002 |
Victor Lin p.c. | 10.5 | 9281 |
Caught off Taiwan. | ||
< 1986 | Karbhari and Josekutty (1986) | 12 | Colman (1997), same as below? | |||
1912; Knights Key, Florida |
McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | ~12 (near 40 ft) | 12000-13500 |
An enterprising promoter skinned it and stuffed it -a
job that took several months- and then toured the country with it, billing
it as "The Only Creature of the Kind in the World." |
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25 Sep 2008 |
Victor Lin pers. comm. | 12 | 12000 CF = 6.9 |
Caught off China on September 25, 2008. Additional photo where caudal fin is hauled away. | ||
Castro and Clark (2000) AES Abstract | M | 12.18 | Male 12.18 m from Bombay, India. | |||
11 Nov 1949 | Evan Hodder pers. comm | 12.65 | According to Guinness Book of Records, the largest reliably recorded whale shark was an individual measuring 41ft 6in that was caught on November 11, 1949 off Baba Island, near Karachi, Pakistan. | |||
Lower California |
McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | 12.8 (42 ft) | Photograph shows William Beebe pursuing a 42-footer during a New York Zoological Society expedition in the Eastern Pacific. | |||
< 1984 | Compagno(1984) | 13.7 | ||||
< 1870 | Wright (1870) | 14 | Wright (1870); Devadoss et al. (1990); Colman (1997). | |||
20 June 1996 | Eckert & Stewart 2001 | F | ~15 | Tagged on 20 June 1996 at Banco Gordo in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Tracked for 111 days. Traveled 2864 km at mean travel rate of 28.8 km/day. | ||
Compagno (2001) | 15.9 | "The late Margaret M. Smith showed the writer a letter describing a beach-stranded specimen from Angola, with measurements suggesting is was about 15.9 m long." | ||||
11 Feb 1905 |
McCormick, Allen, and Young (1963) | >17.4 (not less than 57 ft) | On February 11, 1905, the Illustrated London News published this drawing based on a sketch by Capt. J. C. Robinson of the Armadale Castle. It clearly shows a Whale shark impaled on the ship's bow, but the headline called it a "Sea Serpent". | |||
19 June 1996 | Eckert & Stewart 2001 | F | ~18 | Tagged on 19 June 1996 at Banco Gordo in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Tracked for 30 days. Traveled 207 km at mean travel rate of 18.2 km/day. | ||
< 1925 | Smith (1925) | ~18 | "Then there's the inaccurately measured 18 m specimen from the Gulf of Thailand (Smith, 1925)." Steven G. Wilson (Elasmo-L posting 5 Aug. 2003). | |||
March 1987 | Chen et al. (2002) | M | ~20 | 34000 CF ~ 4.3 |
Chen et al. (2002) reported on a whale shark landed in Taiwan (March 1987) that was 20 m long and weighed 34 t. In: Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management. Proceedings of the International Seminar and Workshop, Sabah, Malaysia, July 1997. Fowler, S.L., Reed, T.M. and Dipper, F.A. (Editors). Occasional Paper of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (2002, pages x-y). |
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30 March, 1994 |
Victor Lin, pers. comm. | assuming CF=8, TL~16.5 | 35800 | It was landed in Anpin,Tainan county (southern Taiwan).
It's the largest, at least the heaviest whale shark that Victor Lin is
aware of. May 14, 1994. The newspaper clip was dated May 14, 1994. |
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Compagno (2001) | 21.4 | "Old sight records as well as recent tagging studies and whale shark fishers' reports suggest a maximum length of 17 to 18 m or even 21.4 m." |
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McClain et al. (2015) | 18.8 | "Based on this evidence, we conclude that the 18.8 m measurement is the most reliable and accurately measured specimen and thus represents the current largest known R. typus." |
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Photo/Date | Reference | Sex | TL (m) | W (kg) | FL (m) | Comments |