The 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). The whale
shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably
being by far the most massive living non-cetacean animal. It is the sole
member of the genus Rhincodon and the only extant member of the family
Rhincodontidae, which belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii in the class
Chondrichthyes. Before 1984 it was classified as Rhiniodon into
Rhinodontidae.
Whale sharks inhabit the open waters of all tropical oceans. They are
rarely found in water below 21 °C (70 °F). Whale sharks' lifespans are
estimated to be between 80 and 130 years, based on studies of their
vertebral growth bands and the growth rates of free-swimming sharks. Whale
sharks have very large mouths and are filter feeders, which is a feeding
mode that occurs in only two other sharks, the megamouth shark and the
basking shark. They feed almost exclusively on plankton and small fishes,
and do not pose any threat to humans.
Learn more on Wikipedia.
Coded by Tianna Mendoza