Whale shark

Scientific name: Rhincodon typus

Officially approvedEntity code: ENT-0019

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Diet

Diet and feeding

The whale shark is a filter-feeding shark; its broad head, spotted body and large gill openings are distinctive features.

SRC-183 · SRC-009 · SRC-010

The whale shark filter-feeds on plankton and on small swimming prey such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, juvenile tunas, small crustaceans and squid, opening and closing its mouth 7–28 times a minute while feeding on zooplankton.

SRC-183

Sources (3)

Sources

1FishBase — Rhincodon typus / Whale sharkSRC-183
2World Register of Marine SpeciesSRC-009
3FishBaseSRC-010

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In NAKTASHIF worlds:Marine and coastal habitats

Sources

1FishBase — Rhincodon typus / Whale sharkSRC-183
2World Register of Marine SpeciesSRC-009
3FishBaseSRC-010
4Robinson et al. 2013 — Whale sharks aggregate around offshore platforms in Qatari waters of the Arabian GulfSRC-180
5Cochran et al. 2019 — Whale shark residency, distribution and dispersal in the Red SeaSRC-142
6GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828SRC-165
7Countries where Rhincodon typus is foundSRC-347
8Cochran et al. 2016 — Population structure of a whale shark aggregation in the Red SeaSRC-141
9IUCN Red ListSRC-004