Basking Sharks in the Gulf of Maine
Schools of up to 50 basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) were observed on the warm side of a persistent thermal front in the southern Gulf of Maine from early September through mid-October 2002. Aerial photographs showed a variety of schooling patterns, including echelon, cartwheel and milling formations. While the function of these aggregations remains unknown, they may represent group courtship behavior.
Related Publication:
Wilson, S.G. Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) schooling in the southern Gulf of Maine. Fisheries Oceanography 13:283-286. 2004.