| Whale Shark | ||
|---|---|---|
 Rhincodon typus (A. Smith, 1829) | ||
| Scientific Classification | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | |
| Phylum | Chordata | |
| Class | Chondrichthyes | |
| Order | Orectolobiformes | |
| Family | Rhincodontidae | |
| Genus | Rhincodon | |
| Species | • R. typus | |
| Conservation Status (IUCN 3.1) | ||
 Vulnerable | ||
The Whale Shark is the largest fish in the world. It is not in fact a whale, but a shark.
It roams in tropical and subtropical areas.
Size[]
Mentioned before, the Whale Shark is the largest fish in the world, growing up to 50 feet in size.
Other sea creatures like the Giant Squid are larger, but they are invertebrates, and are not true fish.
Diet[]
The Whale Shark is a filter feeder- in fact there are only a few filter feeder sharks like the Whale Shark. It feeds on krill and plankton.
It does also feed on crabs and small fish, which is often demonstrated at the Georgia Aquarium.
Gallery[]
Video[]
Trivia[]
- Only two aquariums showcase the Whale Shark. The Georgia Aquarium and the Osaka Aquarium in Japan.
- A whale shark can weigh as much as 13 tons, the same as two African elephants.
| Navigation | |
|---|---|
| Marine | Marine Habitats • Aquariums • Global Oceans • Ocean Weather
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| Vertebrate | Fishes • Mammals • Reptiles • Amphibians • Cartilaginous Fishes • Sharks
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| Invertebrate | Arthropod • Mollusca • Echinoderms • Cnidaria
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| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered • Endangered • Near Threatened • Vulnerable • Least Concern • Data Deficient • Not Evaluated |