Dots in the sea

The whale shark is a particularly interesting and rare shark. It feeds mainly by filtering small crustaceans, fish, eggs, and other organisms that float in the water, but it also apparently feeds on fish when the opportunity arises. Its primary habitat is the open ocean, and it's often recorded at the surface or even at 2,000 m below the sea surface.

So, what are the dots for? Nobody knows. There have been hypotheses suggesting that they serve as camouflage to hide at the bottom of the sea when the whale shark is a pup, or for avoiding predators when observed from a distance. Other hypotheses suggest that the dots could be for communication or predation.

However, as of today, any evidence of their function is absent.

Every whale shark in the world has dots, with the exception of one albino female. Given the ubiquity of this pattern, it should have a function that I hope my team and I can uncover.