Shipping poses significant threat to the endangered whale shark

Marine biologists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Southampton have led ground-breaking research which indicates that lethal collisions of whale sharks with large ships are vastly underestimated, ...

Ancestors of whale sharks in Panama may come from distant waters

The world's largest fish, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), is a plankton-loving giant that can be found alone or in groups in all tropical oceans. However, despite being a highly migratory species, little is known about ...

Whale sharks found to have tiny teeth around their eyes

A team of researchers working at Japan's Okinawa Churashima Research Center has found that whale sharks have thousands of dermal denticles (tiny teeth) in the skin surrounding their eyeballs. In their paper posted on the ...

Scientists study manta rays' impressive ability to heal

"Whoopi' the manta ray—a regular visitor to Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef—has helped University of Queensland and Murdoch University scientists study rays' impressive ability to heal.

Whale shark hot spot offers new conservation insights

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whale sharks are considered endangered, which means the species has suffered a population decline of more than 50% in the past three generations. The ...

New species found in whale shark mouth

A whale shark's mouth might not seem like the most hospitable environment for a home, but Japanese researchers have found there's no place like it for a newly-discovered shrimp-like creature.

Getting a grip on the slow but unique evolution of sharks

Scientists at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan, in collaboration with other Japanese institutes and aquariums, have decoded the whole genomes of two shark species for the first time and improved ...

Sightings, satellites help track mysterious ocean giant

The sight of a basking shark's brooding silhouette gliding through the waters off western France is more than just a rare treat for sailors—it is a boon for scientists trying to trace its secretive migrations across the ...

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