|
photos of whale
sharks
To see more whale shark
pictures, click here
|
whale shark underwater photograph with
scuba divers |
whale shark picture, curious animal
portrait |
underwater photo of whale shark, Rhincodon
typus |
whale shark tail marine photography by
Brandon Cole |
|
common
name |
Whale
Shark |
| scientific
name |
Rhincodon
typus |
| range |
Worldwide,
most tropical seas |
viewing
hotspots |
Galapagos,
Western Australia, Seychelles |
| habitat |
Coastal,
open ocean |
| size |
To
50 feet (16m) |
| diet |
Plankton,
small fish |
| trivia |
World’s
largest living fish; only member of its family; harmless |
|
The epitome of a gentle
giant, the Whale Shark, Rhincodon typus, is of course a shark (a
cartilaginous fish), not a whale. Its massive size is the only
reason for the "whale" name. It has gills, not lungs, and
never needs to come to the surface to breathe. Certain reports hint
that 60 foot long specimens might have once wandered Planet Ocean,
but now a 50 footer is considered huge. Depending on the location
and time of year, whale sharks between 8 and 30 feet are most
commonly spotted. Identification of this species is easy- a wide,
slit-like mouth is at the front of its snout (not underneath); an
elaborate pattern of white spots and lines mark its dark back; and
of course, its size.
The whale shark can be observed swimming
near the surface, cavernous mouth wide open as it slurps up plankton
(such as tiny crustaceans) and occasionally schooling fish such as
sardines and anchovies. A filter feeder, food is strained from the
water by spongy filters over the gill slits. Lucky scuba divers and
snorkelers swim alongside feeding whale sharks at sites such as
Darwin’s Arch in the Galapagos Islands, and Ningaloo Reef in
Australia.
Rhincodon typus is a livebearer
(ovoviviparous), giving birth to hundreds of live young averaging 2
feet long. In some parts of the world, whale sharks are disappearing
at an alarming rate. Like so many shark species, they are suffering
from the largely uncontrolled sharkfin fishing industry. As we know
next to nothing about whale shark biology, their migratory patterns,
and other crucial pieces of its life cycle, we are in danger of
exterminating one of Earth’s most amazing animals.
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| KEYWORDS
whale shark, whale sharks, whale, shark, sharks, Rhincodon typus, fish,
elasmobranch, elasmobranchs, photo, photos, photograph, photographs,
picture, pictures, stock, photography, marine, underwater, scuba diver,
scuba divers, scuba diving, scuba, diver, divers, model released, tail
fin, tail |
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