Whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus ) are large filter-feeders that reside in oligotrophic tropical waters. The feeding behaviours that enable these sharks to survive in such nutrient poor environments are not well understood beyond the surface. Here, we develop a species ethogram and synthesise foraging behaviours by combining observations reported in the literature (106 articles) with data collected by animal-borne cameras (22.5...

Shallow diving air-breathing animals face the challenge of maximising oxygen stores to extend dive duration while being subject to rapid pressure changes, especially in the first 10 m. Buoyancy control is integral to managing the physiological and physical challenges of shallow water diving. Dugongs ( Dugong dugon ) are shallow diving megaherbivores and must spend extended periods foraging on shallow benthic seagrass communiti...

Deep dives are performed by a range of marine megafauna, yet their function remains poorly understood. Proposed functions include foraging, predator avoidance, and navigation, but limited fine-scale data have hindered rigorous testing of these hypotheses. Here, depth time-series data from eight recovered and 16 non-recovered satellite tags deployed on oceanic manta rays ( Mobula birostris ) in Indonesia, Peru, and New Zealand...

This paper describes the first confirmed record of a mature female dwarf sawfish, Pristis clavata , based on the dissection of an individual from the Karajarri Indigenous Protected Area in northwestern Australia. The 307‐cm female, found deceased on an intertidal sandflat in July 2024, was in the early stages of pregnancy, with large ova visible in both uteri. Counts of vertebral growth zones suggested an age of 12 years. This...

Home range size and metabolic rate of animals are theorized to scale in relation to body mass with similar exponents. This expectation has only been indirectly tested using lab‐derived estimates of basal metabolic rate as proxies for field energy requirements. Therefore, it is unclear if existing theory aligns with observed patterns of home range scaling since field metabolic rates may scale differently than basal metabolic ra...

Very little is known about the reproductive behaviours of whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus ). Here, we describe field observations of courtship behaviour by a whale shark at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. We witnessed and recorded following and biting behaviours by a sexually mature male of a smaller female. Following and biting are common events during courtship and copulation of other species of elasmobranchs. Our observati...

Wedgefishes have recently been recognised as one of the most imperilled marine fish families worldwide. However, many knowledge gaps about their biology and ecology hinder conservation efforts. Here we used a combination of acoustic telemetry and acceleration datalogger technology to gain fundamental insights into the fine-scale behaviour, habitat use, size of activity spaces, and residency of adult female bottlenose wedgefish...

Baitfishes may aggregate around megafauna such as whale sharks ( Rhincodon typus ) to gain protection from larger predatory fishes. Here, we used videos from deployments of animal-borne cameras on whale sharks and provided by tourism operators at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia to document large schools of trevally ( Carangidae spp.) consuming entire schools of baitfishes ( Carangidae spp.) swimming with whale sharks within...

This study developed a portable, low‐cost field respirometer for measuring oxygen consumption rates of large‐bodied fishes. The respirometer performed well in laboratory tests and was used to measure the oxygen consumption rates ( O 2 ) of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas (mean: 249.21 ± 58.10 mg O 2 kg −1 h −1 at 27.05°C). Interspecific comparisons and assessments of oxygen degradation curves indicated that the respirometer pr...

This study reports on the metabolic rate of the blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus and the energetic costs of external tag attachment. Metabolic rates, swimming speed and tail‐beat ( B T ) frequency were measured in a static respirometer with untagged animals and animals equipped with a small data logger. Tagged sharks showed significantly higher routine oxygen consumption and lower swimming speeds than untagged animals, ind...