Why is Whale Sharks Basking at Surface?

Whale sharks can dive in the cold waters to a depth of several hundred meters. Surprisingly, the largest fish in the world is coming back to the surface. Odd behavior of late has finally revealed the findings of the whale shark research team published on Friday 19 October 2012. "They went to the surface to warm the body," said Michele Thums from Marine Institute, University of Western Australia.

Whale sharks spend around 2.5 hours at the surface, on average, to warm up after making very deep, long day dives. (Picture from: http://www.theepochtimes.com/)

These findings open new insights about the behavior of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which has not been much revealed. Previously known that whale sharks dive regularly in kedataman about 100 meters and then back to the surface quickly. This movement is called submarine style "boom" or "yoyo".

But the research team, involving Professor Mark Meekan of Marine Research Board of Australia, discovered that whale sharks can also go very deep dive lasts more than two hours.

Whale sharks always come back to the surface periodically between one dive and the next dive. This pattern is also found in marine mammals such as whales or dolphins do need to surface to breathe.

"But whale sharks are fish, which do not have to breathe the air," says Thums. The research team observed four whale sharks in the waters around Australia. Fourth shark was tagged with a dive time and depth recorders are also recording the water temperature.

Based on the data, revealed that the sharks spend the longest time on the surface after doing dive the deepest and coldest, about 340 meters at a temperature of 14 degrees Celsius.

"Whale sharks are the average surface of 145 minutes," says Thums. Behavior because the whale shark appeared to be set at body temperature. Routine whale sharks to the surface to bask after being at sea in the cold.

Whale sharks, like other fish are ectothermic. Their body temperature adjusts to the surrounding water temperature, in contrast to mammals. Research titled "Evidence of thermoregulation by the World's Largest Fish" is published in the Journal of the Royal Society edition this week.

These findings can also be used to predict the impacts of environmental change on whale sharks. *** [PHYS.ORG | MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | KORAN TEMPO 4034]

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