Fish Larvae Diversity and Correlation with Whale Shark Based on Bongo net Sampling in the Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus) Habitat of Cenderawasih Bay and Probolinggo, Indonesia

This study present potential food of whale shark especially fish larvae, which is one of the main food of whale shark. Sampel was collected from Cenderawasih bay (October to December 2016) and Probolinggo (March and August... [ view full abstract ]

This study present potential food of whale shark especially fish larvae, which is one of the main food of whale shark. Sampel was collected from Cenderawasih bay (October to December 2016) and Probolinggo (March and August 2017). Based on the result, in Cendrawasih bay there were 112 larvae fish consist of 17 families. The dominated was Engraulidae (54%), followed by Lutjanidae (9%), Bremacerotida (5%), In Probolinggo there were 139 larvae fish consist of 13 families. The dominated was also Engraulidae (42%), followed by Lutjanidae (19%), Gerreidae (10%). Between Probolinggo and Cenderawasih bay both of them dominated by Engraulidae and Lutjanidae. Based on the spearman correlation in Probolinggo March 2017, fish larvae Engraulidae and Lutjanidae have correlation to occurence of whale shark in Probolinggo, Contradiction with Probolinggo, result shown that in Cenderawasih bay whale shark does not has correlation with fish larvae. The result shown that Engraulidae and Lutjanidae are one of the most potential food for whale shark. In the future this data can be used for the future research about the main food of whale shark in Indonesia.

Keyword: fish larvae, habitat, whale shark, Indonesia