Wetpixel member and megafauna scientist, Simon Pierce, has let us known that a new book Whale Sharks: Biology, Ecology, and Conservation will shortly be available. It represents an amazing compendium of almost all the current scientific information about whale sharks (Rhincodon typus). Required reading for those visiting Isla Mujeres!

It will be available from 26 August as a hard or soft cover, eBook or Kindle book via Amazon.

From Routledge Publishers

Book Description

Whale sharks are the largest of all fishes, fascinating for comparative studies of all manner of biological fields, including functional anatomy, growth, metabolism, movement ecology, behavior and physiology. These gentle ocean giants have captured the interest of scientists and the imagination of the public, yet their future is uncertain. The conservation status of whale sharks was upgraded to Endangered on the IUCN Red List and the species faces a range of intense threats from human activities. Can these iconic living animals, who have survived for millions of years, survive us?

Written by the world’s leading experts in whale shark biology, ecology, and conservation, Whale Sharks: Biology, Ecology and Conservation is the first definitive volume about the world’s biggest fish. Chapters include discussions of satellite-linked tags, used to track whale shark movements; genetic sequencing, to examine evolutionary adaptations; even the use of underwater ultrasound units to investigate the species’ reproduction. The editors hope that by collating what is known, they can make it easier for future researchers, conservationists, and resource managers to fill some of the remaining knowledge gaps, and provide the information they need to join the team.

As you work your way through this book, we hope that you will develop a sense of awe and marvel at all of our good fortune to share the ocean, and the planet, with this utterly extraordinary species.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   Alistair D.M. Dove and Simon J. Pierce
2. Chapter 1. How and why is the whale shark the world’s largest fish?
   Alistair D.M. Dove, Mark G. Meekan, and Craig McClain
3. Chapter 2. Whale shark reproduction, growth, and demography
   Simon J. Pierce, Sebastián A. Pardo, Chris A. Rohner, Rui Matsumoto, Kiyomi Murakumo, Ryo Nozu, Alistair D.M. Dove, Cameron Perry, and Mark G. Meekan
4. Chapter 3. Whale shark sensory biology and neuroanatomy
   Kara E. Yopak and Emily E. Peele
5. Chapter 4. Parasites and other associates of whale sharks
   Alistair D.M. Dove and David P. Robinson
6. Chapter 5. Population genetic structure of whale sharks
   Jennifer V. Schmidt
7. Chapter 6. Whale shark movements and migrations
   Alex R. Hearn, Jonathan R. Green, Cesar R. Peñaherrera, Samantha Reynolds, Christoph A. Rohner, Marlon Roman, and Ana M.M. Sequeira
8. Chapter 7. Population ecology of whale sharks
   Christoph A. Rohner, Bradley M. Norman, Samantha Reynolds, Gonzalo Araujo, Jason Holmberg, and Simon J. Pierce
9. Chapter 8. Whale shark foraging, feeding, and diet
   Christoph A. Rohner and Clare E. Prebble
10. Chapter 9. Lessons from care of whale sharks in public aquariums
    Alistair D.M. Dove, Rui Matsumoto, Christian Schreiber, Christopher Coco, Makio Yanagisawa, Tonya Clauss, Lisa Hoopes, and Keiichi Sato
11. Chapter 10. Whale shark tourism as an incentive-based conservation approach
    Jackie Zeigler and Philip Dearden
12. Chapter 11. Global threats to whale sharks
    David Rowat, Freya Womersley, Bradley M. Norman, and Simon J. Pierce
13. Chapter 12. Conservation of whale sharks
    Simon J. Pierce, Molly K. Grace, and Gonzalo Araujo
14. Chapter 13. Outstanding questions in whale shark research and conservation
    David Rowat, David P. Robinson, Alistair D. M. Dove, Gonzalo Araujo, Tonya Clauss, Christopher Coco, Philip Dearden, Molly K. Grace, Jonathan R. Green, Alex R. Hearn, Jason Holmberg, Lisa Hoopes, Rui Matsumoto, Craig McClain, Mark G. Meekan, Kiyomi Murakumo, Bradley M. Norman, Ryo Nozu, Sebástian A. Pardo, Emily E. Peele, César R. Peñaherrera Palma, Cameron Perry, Clare E. Prebble, Samantha Reynolds, Marlon Román, Christoph A. Rohner, Keiichi Sato, Jennifer V. Schmidt, Christian Schreiber, Ana M. M. Sequeira, Freya Womersley, Makio Yanagisawa, Kara E. Yopak, Jackie Ziegler, and Simon J. Pierce.