WebThe whale shark ( Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft). [8] The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the most massive living non-cetacean animal.
WebThe whale shark, like the world's second largest fish, the basking shark, is a filter feeder. In order to eat, the beast juts out its formidably sized jaws and passively filters everything in its ...
WebApr 2, 2024 · The whale shark is enormous and reportedly capable of reaching a maximum length of about 18 metres (59 feet). Most specimens that have been studied, however, weighed about 15 tons (about 14 metric tons) and averaged about 12 metres (39 feet) in length. The body coloration is distinctive. Light vertical and horizontal stripes form a …
WebEvery whale shark has a unique pattern of spots and stripes on their skin, and WWF uses them to identify individual sharks. Divers photograph the animal right above their pectoral fins and behind their gill slits. The photos are fed into a computer database. In the Philippines, WWF has identified 458 individual whale sharks since 2007.