AB 12:33-36 (2011)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00328

ABSTRACT: The basking shark Cetorhinus maximus is the second largest fish in the world, attaining lengths of up to 10 m. Very little is known of its sensory biology, particularly in relation to its feeding behaviour. We describe the abundance and distribution of ampullary pores over the head and propose that both the spacing and orientation of electrosensory pores enables C. maximus to use passive electroreception to track the diel vertical migrations of zooplankton that enable the shark to meet the energetic costs of ram filter feeding.

KEY WORDS: Ampullae of Lorenzini · Electroreception · Filter feeding · Basking shark