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Whale Sharks are the largest shark and fish. They can grow up to 18 - 20 meters (59 - 65 feet). This is about the length of a school bus. Whale Sharks can weigh up to 15 - 20 tons. Their skeleton is composed of thick, flexible cartilage and they lack a thoracic cage (rib cage). There’s one large front dorsal fin, two pectoral fins, smaller rear dorsal fins, and anal fins.
Bodily coloration is distinctive from others. Imagine this like a finger print to a human; no two are the same. Overall, each specimen has light vertical and horizontal stripes that create a checkerboard pattern with a dark background, and white spots on the dark areas and clusters of white spots near the fins and head. Their bellies are white.
Heads are broad and flat with a vast mouth. Eyes are round and located laterally on the head; sunken in for protection. Hanging from each nostril is a short, sensory organ called a barbel, that assists in predation.
Just above the pectoral fins are five large gill slits. There is spongy tissue inside these gill slits (“gill filaments”) that are used as filters when feeding.
Keels, prominent ridges of hard tissue, extend along both sides of the body, from the pectoral fins towards the tail.
They have 3000 rows of small, vestigial teeth. Since they’re not used for eating, scientists are not sure what they’re for.
Key terms: skeleton, cartilage, thoracic cage, sensory organ, predation, gill slits, vestigial.
Citations:
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Whale Shark. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/animal/whale-shark.
Shark facts and information. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.sharks-world.com/.
Vazquez, P. C. and J. (n.d.). Rhincodon typus (whale shark). Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhincodon_typus/.
Whale Shark (rhincodon typus). Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - DAWE. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.awe.gov.au/environment/marine/marine-species/sharks/whale-shark.
Whale Shark: National Geographic. Animals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/whale-shark.
World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Whale Shark. WWF. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/whale-shark.
Photos from top to bottom: giant-whale-shark-mexico-migrationMauricio-Handler-National-Geographic-Society-Corbis.jpg (1024×768) (cntraveler.com); 6dfc2cf70d4cda6ad6ee544790e97c9d.png (675×600) (pinimg.com); whaleshark.png (1300×635) (belizedivehaven.com); 0_CATERS_WHALE_SHARK_GILLS_01.jpg (4008×3006) (storytrender.com); FF_FS_2020-5-1024x536.jpg (1024×536) (flipscience.ph); Do Whale Sharks Have Teeth? - Travel For Wildlife (travel4wildlife.com)
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