whale shark open mouth | whale shark jumping out of water
whale shark open mouth | whale shark jumping out of water Whale Shark 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 12. 65 m (41. 5 ft) and a weight of about 21. 5 t (47, 000 lb).[8] The whale shark holds many records for size in the pet kingdom, most notably being definitely the largest living nonmammalian vertebrate. It is the sole member of the genus Rhincodon and the just extant member of the family Rhincodontidae which usually belongs to the subclass Elasmobranchii inside the class Chondrichthyes. Before 1984 it was classified as Rhiniodon into Rhinodontidae. The whale shark is found in open waters of the tropical oceans and it is rarely found in the water beneath 21 °C (70 °F).[2] Modeling advises a lifespan of about 70 years, but measurements include proven diff...