<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="6.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Norman, BM</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Stevens, JD</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Size and maturity status of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Fisheries Research</style></secondary-title><short-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Fisheries Research</style></short-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">biodiversity</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">whale sharks</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2007</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">03/2007</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165783606004036</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">84</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">81 - 86</style></pages><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Between 1995 and 1997, 360 observations of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef revealed that approximately 85% were males (4–12 m TL). Based on the external morphology of claspers, all males &lt;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 &gt;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.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue></record></records></xml>