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Rhincodon typus
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)
Where found: The whale shark is found in tropical and warm oceans and lives in the open sea.
Description: The Whale Shark is a slow-moving filter feeder (plankton and schools of fish) and the largest known fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 m (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 metric tons (47,000 lb), and unconfirmed reports of considerably larger whale sharks exist. Claims of individuals over 14 m (46 ft) long and weighing at least 30 mt (66,000 lb) are not uncommon. It rivals many of the largest dinosaurs in weight. They can live to 70 years. Whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium
