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

2011/01/01 by Christoph A. Rohner, Anthony J. Richardson, Andrea D. Marshall +2 · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Engineering · #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Fish Ecology and Management Studies #Fish biology, ecology, and behavior #Whale #Biology #Fishery #Photogrammetry #Fish <Actinopterygii> #Fish fin #Dorsal fin #Fin #Remote sensing #Geography #Engineering

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02861.x

openalex publication_date 2011/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

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.

Citations

• Size and maturity status of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia
• Shark nursery areas: concepts, definition, characterization and assumptions

Cited by

• A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus
• Whale shark [wikipedia]

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