Associate Adjunct Professor
Director, Biotelemetry Laboratory
Faculty of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology
University of California, Davis
apklimley@ucdavis.edu

Dr. Peter Klimley has studied sharks for over three decades and written over 50 scientific articles on the behavior and ecology of sharks. His studies range from complex social habits and navigation of hammerheads to feeding tactics and behavior of white sharks.

Degrees

1982: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego – Ph.D. Marine Biology

1976: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Florida – M.S. Biological Oceanography

1970: State University of New York, Stony Brook – B.S. Zoology

Research Interests

The role of sensory physiology in orientation, predator-prey interactions, ultrasonic tracking and telemetry.

Books

Klimley, A.P., P. Allen, J. Israel, and J. Kelly (Eds). 2006. The green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, and Its Environment. Kluwer Press, Amsterdam.

Klimley, A.P. 2003. The Secret Life of Sharks: A Leading Biologist Reveals the Mysteries of Shark Behavior. Simon and Schuster, New York, 292 pp.

Greene, C.M., D.H. Owings, L.A. Hart, and A.P. Klimley (Eds). 2002. Revisiting the Umwelt: Environments of Animal Communication. Monograph, Journal of Comp.Psychology.

Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds). 1996. Great White Sharks: The Biology of Carcharodon carcharias. Academic Press, San Diego, 528 pp. (45 chapters on anatomy, behavior, ecology, distribution, population dynamics, and interactions with humans).

Publications and Presentations

Kelly, J.T., A.P. Klimley, and C.E. Crocker. In Press. Movements of green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, in the San Francisco Bay Estuary, California. Environmental Biology of Fishes.

T.H. Curtis, J.T. Kelly, K.L. Menard, R.K. Laroche, R.E. Jones, and A.P. Klimley. In Press. Observations on the behavior of white sharks scavenging from a whale carcass at Point Reyes, California. California Fish and Game.

Klimley, A.P., R.L. Kihslinger, and J.T. Kelly. 2005. Directional and non-directional movements of bat rays (Myliobatis californica) in Tomales Bay, California. Environmental Biology of Fishes 74(1)79-88. Download

Klimley, A.P., J.E. Richert, and S.J. Jorgensen. 2005. The home of blue water fish. American Scientist 93:42-49. Download

Kelly, J.T and A.P. Klimley. 2003. The occurrence of the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, at Point Reyes Headlands, California. Bulletin of California Fish and Game, in press. Donwload

Kelly, J.T., A.P. Klimley, and C.E. Crocker. 2003. Movements of adult and sub-adult green sturgeon in the San Francisco Estuary. San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary, 6th Biennial State of the Estuary Conference, Poster, Abstract. Download

Klimley, A.P. 2003. The Secret Life of Sharks: A Leading Biologist Reveals the Mysteries of Shark Behavior. Simon and Schuster, New York, 292 pp. Download

Klimley, A.P., S.J. Jorgensen, A. Muhlia-Melo, and S.C. Beavers. 2003. Movements of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) to and from Espiritu Santo Seamount in Gulf of California. Fisheries Bulletin, 101: 684-692. Download

Kihslinger, R.L. and A.P. Klimley. 2002. Species identity and the temporal characteristics of fish acoustic signals. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 116: 210-214.

Klimley, A.P., S. C. Beavers, T.H. Curtis, and S.J. Jorgensen. 2002. Movements and swimming behavior of three species of sharks in La Jolla Canyon, California. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 63: 117-135. Download

Klimley, A.P., B.J. Le Boeuf, K.M. Cantara, J.E. Richert, S.F. Davis, S. Van Sommeran, and J.T. Kelly. 2001. The hunting strategy of white sharks at a pinniped colony. Marine Biology. 13: 617-636. Download

Klimley, A.P., B.J. Le Boeuf, K.M. Cantara, J.E. Richert, S.F. Davis, and S. Van Sommeran. 2001. Radio-acoustic positioning: a tool for studying site-specific behavior of the white shark and large marine vertebrates. Marine Biology. 138:429-446. Download

Klimley, A.P. 1999. Sharks beware. American Scientist, 87: 488-491.

Klimley, A.P. and C. Holloway. 1999. Homing synchronicity and schooling fidelity by yellowfin tuna. Marine Biology, 133: 307-317.

Klimley, A.P. and S.C. Beavers. 1998. Playback of ATOC-type signal to bony fishes to evaluate phonotaxis. Journal of Acoustic Society of America, 104:2506-2510.

Klimley, A.P., F. Voegeli, S.C. Beavers, and B.J. Le Boeuf. 1998. Automated listening stations for tagged marine fishes. Marine Technology Journal, 32: 94-101.

Klimley, A.P. and C. Holloway. 1997. Benchmark tests of accuracy of two archival tags. P. 34 in Boehlert, G.W. (Ed.), Application of Acoustic and Archival Tags to Assess Estuarine, Nearshore, and Offshore Habitat Utilization and Movement by Salmonids. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-236, 62 pp.

Klimley, A.P. 1996. Dancing with sharks. Natural History Magazine, 105:54-55.

Sillman, A.J., G.A. Letsinger, S. Patel, E.R. Loew, and A.P. Klimley. 1996. Visual pigments and photoreceptors in two species of shark, Triakis semifasciata and Mustelus henlei. Journal of Experimental Zoology, 276:1-10.

Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley. 1996. White shark research in the past: a perspective. Pp. 3-4 in Klimley, A.P. & D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Klimley, A.P. and S.D. Anderson. 1996. Residency patterns of white sharks at the South Farallon Islands, California. Pp. 365-373 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Klimley, A.P., P. Pyle, and S.D. Anderson. 1996. The behavior of white shark and prey during predatory attacks. Pp. 175-191 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Klimley, A.P., P. Pyle, and S.D. Anderson, 1996. Is the Tail Slap an agonistic display among white sharks? Pp. 241-255 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Anderson, S.D., A. P. Klimley, P. Pyle, and R.H. Henderson. 1996. Tidal height and white shark predation at the South Farallon Islands. Pp. 275-279 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Goldman, K.J., S. D. Anderson, J.E. McCosker, and A.P. Klimley. 1996. Temperature, swimming depth, and diel movements of a white shark at the South Farallon Islands, Central California, with comments on thermal physiology. Pp. 111-120 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Mollet, H., G.M. Cailliet, A.P. Klimley, D.A. Ebert, A.T. Testi, and L.J.V. Compagno. 1996. A review of length validation methods for large white sharks. Pp. 91-108 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Pyle, P., S.D. Anderson, A.P. Klimley, and R.P. Henderson. 1996. Environmental factors affecting the occurrence and behavior of white sharks at the South Farallon Islands, California. Pp. 281-291 in Klimley, A.P. and D.G. Ainley (Eds.), IBID.

Klimley, A.P. 1995. Hammerhead city. Natural History, 104:32-39.

Klimley, A.P., E.D. Prince, R.W. Brill, and K. Holland. 1994. Archival tags 1994: present and future. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS-SEFSC-357, 30 pp.

Klimley, A.P. 1994. The predatory behavior of the white shark. American Scientist, 82:122-133 (won Silver Excel Award for best feature article of year).

Klimley, A.P. 1993. Highly directional swimming by scalloped hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna lewini, and subsurface irradiance, temperature, bathymetry, and geomagnetic field. Marine Biology, 117:1-22.

Klimley, A.P., I. Cabrera-Mancilla, and J.L. Castillo-Geniz. 1993. Descripcion de los movimientos horizontales y verticales del tiburon martillo Sphyrna lewini, del sur de Golf de California, Mexico. Ciencias Marinas, 19:95-115.

Klimley, A.P., S.D. Anderson, P. Pyle, and R.P. Henderson. 1992. Spatio-temporal patterns of white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) predation at the South Farallon Islands, California. Copeia, 1992:680-690.

Galvan-Magaña F., H. Nienhuis, and A.P. Klimley. 1989. Seasonal abundance and feeding habits of sharks of the Lower Gulf of California. California Fish and Game, 75:74-84.

Klimley, A.P. and S.B. Butler. 1988. Immigration and emigration of a pelagic fish assemblage to seamounts in the Gulf of California related to water mass movements using satellite imagery. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 49:11-20.

Klimley, A.P., S.B. Butler, D.R. Nelson, and A.T. Stull, 1988. Diel movements of scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini Griffith and Smith) to and from a seamount in the Gulf of California. Journal of Fish Biology, 33:751-761.

Klimley, A.P. 1987. Field studies of the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, in the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Pp. 33-36 in Croom, M.M. (Ed.), Current Research Topics in the Marine Environment. Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, San Francisco.

Cigas, J. and A.P. Klimley. 1987. A microcomputer interface for decoding telemetry data and displaying them numerically and graphically in real time. Behavioral Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 19:19-25.

Klimley, A.P. 1987. The determinants of sexual segregation in the scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 18:27-40.

Klimley, A.P. 1985. Schooling in the large predator, Sphyrna lewini, a species with low risk of predation: a non-egalitarian state. Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie (=Ethology), 70:297-319.

Klimley, A.P. and D.R. Nelson. 1985. Functional analysis of schooling in the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). Research Reports, National Geographic Society, 21:227-229.

Klimley, A.P. 1985. The areal distribution and autoecology of the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, off the west coast of North America. Southern California Academy of Sciences, Memoirs, 9:15-40.

Klimley, A.P. and D.R. Nelson. 1984. Diel movement patterns of the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) in relation to El Bajo Espiritu Santo: a refuging central-position social system. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 15:45-54.

Klimley, A.P. and S.T. Brown. 1983. Stereophotography for the field biologist: measurement of lengths and three-dimensional positions of free-swimming sharks. Marine Biology, 74:175-185.

Klimley, A.P. and S.T. Brown. 1983. A stereophotographic technique for the determination of lengths of free-swimming sharks. CIBCASIO Transactions, 11:110-137.

Klimley, A.P. 1982. Social organization of schools of scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini (Griffith and Smith), in the Gulf of California. Dissertation, University of California, San Diego, 341 pp.

Klimley, A.P. 1981. Grouping behavior in the scalloped hammerhead. Oceanus, 24:65-71.

Klimley, A.P and D.R. Nelson. 1981. Schooling of scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini, in the Gulf of California. Fishery Bulletin, 79:356-360.

Klimley, A.P. 1980. Observations of courtship and copulation in the nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum. Copeia, 1980:878-882.

Klimley, A.P. and A.A. Myrberg, Jr. 1979. Acoustic stimuli underlying withdrawal from a sound source by adult lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey). Bulletin of Marine Science, 29:447-458.

Myrberg, Jr., A.A., C.R. Gordon, and A.P. Klimley. 1978. Rapid withdrawal from a sound source by open ocean sharks. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 64:1289-1297.

Klimley, A.P. 1978. Nurses at home and school. Marine Aquarist, 8:5-13.

Myrberg, Jr., A.A., C.R. Gordon, and A.P. Klimley. 1976. Attraction of free-ranging sharks by low frequency sound, with comments on its biological significance. Pp. 205-239 in A. Schuijf and A.D. Hawkins (Eds.), Sound Reception in Fishes. Elsevier Press, New York.

Klimley, A.P. 1976. Analysis of acoustic stimulus properties underlying withdrawal in the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey). Thesis, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 80 pp.

Klimley, A.P. 1976. The white shark: a matter of size. Sea Frontiers, 22:2-8.

Myrberg, Jr., A.A., C.R. Gordon, and A.P. Klimley. 1975. Rapid withdrawal from a sound source by sharks under open ocean and captive conditions. Technical Report, University of Miami, 24 pp.

Myrberg, Jr., A.A., C.R. Gordon, and A.P. Klimley. 1975. Attraction of free-ranging sharks by acoustic signals in near-subsonic range. Technical Report, University of Miami, 32 pp.

Klimley, A.P. 1975. A new look at shark attack. Triton, 1975:11-15.

Klimley, A.P. 1974. An inquiry into the causes of shark attacks. Sea Frontiers, 20:66-75.