Longest recorded trans-Pacific migration of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus)

Hector M Guzman,Alex Hearn,Scott A Eckert,Catalina G Gomez

doi:10.1186/s41200-018-0143-4

Hector M Guzman, Alex Hearn + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41200-018-0143-4

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Abstract

Whale sharks (Rinchodon typus) are found in shallow coastal and deep waters of tropical and warm temperate seas. Population genetic studies indicate high connectivity among populations, and an Indo-Pacific meta-population has been suggested with potential migrations among some ocean basins. Here, we present the satellite track of a trans-Pacific migration of a female whale shark, which we tagged at Coiba Island (Panama), and which travelled over 20,000 km from the Tropical Eastern Pacific (Panama) to the western Indo-Pacific (Mariana Trench) in 841 d, primarily via the North Equatorial Current. This finding illustrates the migratory pathway between two ocean basins and potential passageway to reach the Philippine Sea into the South China Sea.

Highlights

The migratory behaviour of marine species has been the subject of several studies (e.g., Block et al 2001; Eckert et al 2002; Eckert 2006; Schick et al 2013)
Among all groups of marine species, seabirds undertake the longest migrations across the oceans, whales and sea turtles migrate across vast distances (Eckert 2006; Rosenbaum et al 2014)
Anne remained in Panamanian waters for 116 d, transmitting relatively frequently in the eastern Pacific for 226 d from Panama to Clipperton Island

Summary

Introduction

The migratory behaviour of marine species has been the subject of several studies (e.g., Block et al 2001; Eckert et al 2002; Eckert 2006; Schick et al 2013). Satellite tracking of highly migratory species can provide reliable background information for the identification of potential foraging areas and transoceanic marine corridors (Block et al 2011), and migratory movements in response to climate change adaptation (Robinson et al 2009; Poloczanska et al 2013). 1758) retains the record for the longest travelled distance of 20,000 km in 9 months (Bonfil et al 2005), and whale sharks (Rinchodon typus Smith 1828) were reported to travel 13,000 km in 37 months in the eastern Pacific (Eckert and Stewart 2001) and 7213 km from the Caribbean to the Atlantic Ocean in 5 months (Hueter et al 2013). We present the trans-Pacific route of a satellite-tagged R. typus from Panama

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