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). [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.

Mar 19, 2025 · whale shark, (Rhincodon typus), gigantic but harmless shark (family Rhincodontidae) that is the largest living fish. Whale sharks are found in marine environments worldwide but mainly in tropical oceans. They make up the only species of the genus Rhincodon and are classified within the order Orectolobiformes, a group containing the carpet sharks.

Whale sharks are found in open tropical waters above 21ºc and have two distinct subpopulations found in the Atlantic ocean, and the Indo-Pacific. These benign behemoths spend their lives on the move, migrating thousands of miles in an endless search for food.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today. They feed on plankton and travel large distances to find enough food to sustain their huge size, and to reproduce. Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world.

Get your arms around the largest fish in the sea—whale sharks weigh in at up to 60 tons. Find out what tiny creatures keep these gentle giants alive.

Whale sharks spend nearly eight hours a day gulping around 10,000 gallons of ocean water. At nearly 40 feet long, they seem like they could eat whatever they want. But they’re...

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-mammalian animal.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh up to 20,000 pounds. That is the height of two giraffes stacked on top of each other and the weight of two elephants combined. Their mouths are three feet wide and hold more than 350 rows of teeth.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. These slow moving creatures are gentle giants, and are only dangerous to small fish and plankton. These filter feeders are massive, harmless creatures that are endangered by human activity. Read on to learn about the whale shark. Closeup image of a whale shark's mouth.

Jul 21, 2018 · Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. Although the name suggests, they are not whales; they are sharks. Confusing? A little… But don’t worry, we've put together 50 whale shark facts.