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Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
Endangered fish
Measurements
Shoulder Height
2.0 m
6'7"
Body Length
12.0 m
39'4"
Weight
19.0 t
41,888 lbs
About Whale Shark
The whale shark is the largest living fish species. Reaching 12 meters in length and weighing up to 19,000 kg, despite their enormous size they are gentle filter feeders.
Classification
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Orectolobiformes
- Family
- Rhincodontidae
- Genus
- Rhincodon
Ecology
- Diet
- carnivore
- Habitat
- ocean
- Continent
- Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Oceania
Fun Fact
Each whale shark has a unique pattern of spots, like a human fingerprint, used for individual identification.