Vertebrate Zoology

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whale shark

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

whale shark large, plankton-eating shark, Rhincodon typus, found in all tropical seas of the world. The largest known specimens are 50 ft (15 m) long, making them the largest fish in the world. The whale shark feeds largely on plankton, as well as on small fish and crustaceans. It is the only large shark with its mouth at the front of its head rather than on the underside. The mouth is equipped with many rows of tiny teeth, and the throat has numerous long slender structures called gill rakers, which form a fine mesh for straining food from the water. The whale shark's body is stout but streamlined, like that of a whale. It is dark brown above, with many white or yellow spots, and white or yellow below. The whale shark is a docile, torpid fish; it does not attack, even on provocation, but has been known to collide with boats. It is classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Chondrichthyes, order Selachii, family Rhincodontidae.

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whale shark

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

whale shark Largest species of shark; it lives in tropical waters worldwide. Brownish to dark grey with white or yellow spots and stripes, this docile, egg-laying fish often travels near the surface. Length: 9m (30ft). Family Rhincodontidae; species Rhincodon typus.

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whale shark

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | | Copyright

whale shark (Rhincodon typus) See RHINCODONTIDAE.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "whale shark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "whale shark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-whaleshark.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "whale shark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-whaleshark.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Whale sharks attract tourists to southern Cebu town. News Wire article from: Philippines News Agency; 12/12/2011
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