Rhincodon typus
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)
Orectolobiformes (Carpet Sharks)
Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)
Rhincodon
Rhincodon typus (Whale Shark)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Rather fusiform, and cylindrical to slightly depressed in cross section, with a broad, depressed snout, prominent ridges on sides, and a large, high, falcate caudal fin. Mouth is very broad, nearly terminal, and lacks symphyseal groove on chin. Teeth are similarly shaped in both jaws and very numerous, with median cusp but no cusplets. Nasal barbels are rudimentary. Nostril lacks groove along outer edge. Head lacks lateral flaps of skin. Eye is on side of head. Spiracle is smaller than eye. Gill slits are very large, and fifth is distinctly separated from fourth. Internal gill slits possess filter screens of transverse lamellae with branching processes on inner surfaces. Pectoral fin is large, narrow, and falcate. First dorsal fin is distinctly larger than second and originates anterior to origin of pelvic fin. Pelvic fin is slightly larger than second dorsal fin and anal fin. Caudal peduncle has well-developed lateral keel and upper precaudal pit. Caudal fin is less than one-third total length, with upper lobe set at high angle above body axis and well-developed lower lobe.
Dark gray, reddish, or greenish gray with white to yellow spots and transverse stripes dorsally and white to yellow ventrally.
Distribution
New York to central Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico
Large numbers frequently occur near the Flower Gardens Reefs off eastern Texas
Habitat Associations
Tropical to warm temperate coastal and oceanic waters
Biology
Planktonic and nektonic crustaceans, squids, and fishes that are filtered from the water flowing into the mouth by its gill filter screens
Maximum known size is about 18 m TL, but specimens are rare at lengths greater than 12 m TL
Development is ovoviviparous, with females containing up to 300 embryos in individual capsules. The embryos hatch from the egg capsules prior to parturition.
World's largest fish, but is harmless to humans (Ref. 6871). Grows up to 20m (Ref. 48722). Often seen offshore but coming close inshore, sometimes entering lagoons or coral atolls (Ref. 247). Sometimes seen cruising near outer wall (Ref. 26938). Reported to frequent shallow water areas near estuaries and river mouths, sometimes during seasonal shrimp blooms (Ref. 48696). Found singly, or in aggregations of over 100 individuals (Ref. 5578). Often associated with groups of pelagic fishes, especially scombrids (Ref. 247). Highly migratory between ocean basins and national jurisdictions, but returns to the same sites annually (Ref. 48672). Feed on planktonic and nektonic prey, such as small fishes (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, juvenile tunas and albacore), small crustaceans and squids (Ref. 247). Often seen in a vertical position with the head at or near the surface when feeding (Ref. 13571). When actively feeding on zooplankton the sharks turn their heads from side to side, with part of the head lifted out of the water, and the mouth opened and closed 7-28 times per minute; these suction gulps were synchronized with the opening and closing of the gill slits (Ref. 35680). Ovoviviparous, with litter size of over 300 pups (Ref. 37816, 43278). Females of 438 to 562 cm are immature (FIGIS 09/2003). Utilized fresh, frozen, dried and salted for human consumption, liver processed for oil, fins used for shark-fin soup, offal probably for fishmeal (Ref. 13571), cartilage for health supplements and skin for leather products (Ref. 48723). Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166). Highly valued commodity in ecotourism operations. Populations have been depleted in several countries by harpoon fisheries (Ref. 48696). Estimated longevity of 80.4 yrs is much larger than reported maximum age 38 yrs based on vertebral bands for a female of 11.9 m TL. Maximum length of up to 21 m and weight of up to 42 tons have been reported (Ref. 116781), but probably the most reliably measured size so far is 12 m TL (Ref. 26319).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN), assessed 2016-03-18. Resilience: Very low (K=0.02; Fec=16-300).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from the other species of the order by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial.
References
Gudger 1941
Bigelow and Schroeder 1948a
Baughman 1955
Hoese and Moore 1977
Applegate et al. 1979
Hoffman et al. 1981
Castro 1983
Wolfson 1983
Wolfson 1986
Compagno 1984
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Joung et al. 1996
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Compagno, L.J.V. (1984) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO.
Colman, J.G. (1997) A review of the biology and ecology of the whale shark. J. Fish Biol. 51(6):1219-1234.
Cortés, E. (1999) Standardized diet compositions and trophic levels of sharks. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 56:707-717.
Fowler, S.L. (2000) Whale shark Rhincodon typus: policy and research scoping study. Nature Conservation Bureau, UK. 26 p.
Chen, C.-T., K.-W. Liu and S.-J. Young (1999) Preliminary report on Taiwan's whale shark fishery. pp. 162-167. In S.L. Fowler, T. Reid, and F.A. Dipper (eds.) Elasmobranch biodiversity, conservation and management. Proc. Int. Seminar and Workshop in Sabah, Malaysia. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Compagno, L.J.V., D. Dando and S. Fowler (2005) Sharks of the world. Princeton field guides. Harper Collins Publishing Ltd., London. 368 p.
Weigmann, S. (2016) Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeographical diversity. J. Fish Biol. 88(1):1-201. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12874
Ebert, D.A., S. Fowler and M. Dando (2015) A pocket guide to sharks of the world. Princeton University Press, New Jersey,
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