ig2 Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research 



about under rear end of base of 2nd dorsal. Pelvics notably small, being only about as 

 large as anal. Claspers of male of usual galeoid type. Pectoral about Ve to Vr as long as 

 total length, its distal margin moderately concave, its apex subacute. 



Color. Described as varying from dark gray to reddish or greenish brown on back and 

 sides, including upper surface of pectorals, and marked with round white or yellow spots 

 (2 to 3 inches in diameter in 38-foot specimen), these being smallest and most crowded 

 on the head, largest and most scattered rearward} also a variable number of narrow white 

 or yellow transverse stripes; lower parts plain white or yellow; lips, tongue and lining 

 of mouth whitish ; lining of oesophagus black. 



Size. This is the largest of modern fish-like vertebrates ; specimens so far measured 

 have ranged between 6° and about 45°" feet in length, with 6-34 feet recorded for Cuban 

 specimens, 18-34 feet for Florida examples, and 31.5 feet for one taken at Fire Island, 

 New York. But the Whale Shark is creditably reported to reach lengths of 60 feet or even 

 more. The estimated weight of a 3 8 -foot Whale Shark, taken at Knight's Key, Florida, 

 in June 1912 was 26,594 pounds.'" The size at which sexual maturity is attained is not 

 known, nor is the size at birth. 



Developmental Stages. Sixteen eggs have been counted in a specimen from Ceylon, 

 these being of the "same form as in dog fish.'"' Whether or not these hatch before birth 

 is not definitely known. 



Habits. Notwithstanding the extensive literature regarding the Whale Shark that 

 has developed in the past few years, much of which is repetitious, very little is known of 

 its habits, other than that it gathers in schools, often basks at the surface and is so sluggish 

 and so little alert that specimens are rammed by steamers from time to time. It feeds by 

 gulping mouthfuls of small animals, as does the Basking Shark; it then drives out through 

 its branchial sieve the water that it takes with them into its mouth. It has been seen at the 

 surface with open mouth when so employed, swimming or even vertical in the water. Its 

 diet may be either small Crustacea, as in the case of a Galapagos specimen where 98 per 

 cent of the stomach contents consisted of such," or perhaps more often small fish. Cuban 

 fishermen, for example, describe it as gorging on schools of anchovies, sardines and 

 albacores, apparently standing vertical below the school while feeding. It is also known 

 to devour small squids when they are available. But the fact that a Philippine specimen 

 had in its stomach 47 buttons, 3 leather belts, 7 leggings and 9 shoes'' is evidence that it 

 is not very discriminating, if the individual in question actually was a Whale Shark.'* 



Relation to Man. The Whale Shark has been the object of a fishery along the north- 



9. Personal communication from Luis Howell-Rivero. 



9a. Seychelles Is., Indian Ocean, reported by Wright (Spicil. Biol., Dublin, 1870: 64-65 [not seen]). 



10. Field and Stream, Feb. 1936: 27. The length of this specimen was originally given as 45 feet (Garman, Mem. 

 Harv. Mus. comp. Zool., ^6, 1913: 456) but was later found to be only 38 feet (Gudger, Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 Lond., 1934: 881). 



n, Southwell, Ceylon Adm. Rep. Mar. Biol., 1912: E. 44, E. 49. 



12. Mowbray, Prelim. Rep. Sci. Cruise "Nourmahal," i, 1933: 2. 



13. Jordan, Science, N. S. 36, 1915: 463. 



14. Gudger (Amer. Nat., 75, 1941 : 550) suggests that it may have been some other shark. 



