@article {268,
	title = {Size and maturity status of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia},
	journal = {Fisheries Research},
	volume = {84},
	year = {2007},
	month = {03/2007},
	pages = {81 - 86},
	abstract = {Between 1995 and 1997, 360 observations of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef revealed that approximately 85\% were males (4{\textendash}12 m TL). Based on the external morphology of claspers, all males <7 m TL were immature. Only 9.3\% of males between 7 and 8 m TL were found to be mature, compared to 36.6\% of those between 8 and 9 m TL. All but one of the 79 male whale sharks >9 m were considered mature. A logistic equation fitted to the percentage of mature males in each size class predicted a length at first maturity (L50) of \~{}8.0 m TL, while 95\% (L95) of males were mature by \~{}9.0 m TL. Female whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef during this study were generally smaller and ranged in length from 4 to 8 m TL. The small size and general absence of female whale sharks from Ningaloo Reef suggest that the region may be important for feeding rather than breeding.},
	keywords = {biodiversity, whale sharks},
	issn = {01657836},
	doi = {10.1016/j.fishres.2006.11.015},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165783606004036},
	author = {Norman, BM and Stevens, JD}
}
