How large is the world's largest fish? Measuring whale sharks Rhincodon typus with laser photogrammetry

Laser photogrammetry was found to be a promising new cost‐effective technique for measuring free‐swimming whale sharks Rhincodon typus. Photogrammetric measurements were more precise than visual size estimates by experienced researchers, with results from the two methods differing by 9· 8 ± 1· 1% (m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of fish biology 2011-01, Vol.78 (1), p.378-385
Main Authors: Rohner, C. A., Richardson, A. J., Marshall, A. D., Weeks, S. J., Pierce, S. J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Body Size
Cetacea
demography
growth
Lasers
Marine
Photogrammetry
Rhincodon typus
Sharks - anatomy & histology
Sharks - growth & development
size
visual estimate
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Summary:Laser photogrammetry was found to be a promising new cost‐effective technique for measuring free‐swimming whale sharks Rhincodon typus. Photogrammetric measurements were more precise than visual size estimates by experienced researchers, with results from the two methods differing by 9· 8 ± 1· 1% (mean ±s.e.). A new metric of total length and the length between the fifth gill and first dorsal fin (r2 = 0· 93) is proposed to facilitate easy, accurate length measurements of whale sharks in the field.
ISSN:0022-1112
1095-8649
DOI:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02861.x