Meeting Abstract
Understanding the underlying mechanisms and function of sexual segregation can be critical to quantifying population characteristics and dynamics (Wearmouth & Sims 2008) and can help predict life-history strategies of cryptic species. Recent data show evidence of sexual segregation in white sharks ( Carcharodon carcharias ), but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. We use electronic tagging data and visual observations of white sharks in central California to describe class segregation and explore the disparate underlying mechanisms and life history implications between the sexes. We found that females remain in warmer oligotrophic offshore waters while males simultaneously return to colder prey-rich waters, which is likely linked to unequal energy requirements for growth (sub-adults) and reproduction (adult). We consider these findings, in the context of other available data, to support theories of white shark life history strategies.
