Probably for the first time, a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) has been filmed excreting feces, which were also collected. This event was important for researches, since the DNA contained in the sample revealed why the whale sharks were feeding in that particular location. The DNA in the sample also reveals what the large filter feeders were consuming.

Despite being the largest known fish in the ocean, the whale shark remains a mystery. There is little data regarding its reproductive behavior. It was thought that whale sharks either gave birth to live young or produced egg cases, but after a female was taken with pups, it was determined that the whale shark is ovoviviparous, so the large sharks produce “live pups after they develop inside egg cases or a thin, leathery case that protects each developing pup inside the uterus.”

Watch a very excited scientist in this BBC video:

UPDATE: A reader shares his video of a whale shark excreting feces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MHU-DFLg28

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