The whale shark is the biggest fish and shark in the world These gentle marine giants roam the oceans around the globe, generally alone However, large numbers of whale sharks often gather in areas with abundant plankton food—making them prime tourist attractions
What is a whale shark classified as?
carpet shark Whale shark Temporal range: Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Superorder: Selachimorpha Order: Orectolobiformes
Why is a whale shark classified as a shark?
A whale shark is a fish and breathes via its gills The name whale shark comes from the fact these animals are so large (as big as whales) and that they filter feed (like baleen whales such as the humpback) However, they have cartilage instead of bone – making them a true shark
Which is not a fish a whale or a shark?
Are whale sharks mammals? A whale shark is not a mammal; it is a fish — more specifically, a shark Though whale sharks may behave like their gentle mammalian namesakes, they are in fact not mammals, but fish
Are sharks a fish?
Sharks are fish They live in water, and use their gills to filter oxygen from the water Sharks are a special type of fish known because their body is made out of cartilage instead of bones like other fish
Do killer whales eat whale sharks?
These marine mammals have been known to attack and eat everything from small fish and turtles to squid, seals, sea lions, and even large whales Killer whales also hunt, attack, and eat sharks
Is a whale a fish or a mammal?
Whales and porpoises are also mammals There are 75 species of dolphins, whales, and porpoises living in the ocean They are the only mammals, other than manatees, that spend their entire lives in the water
Why is it illegal to touch a whale shark?
Whale sharks are slow moving animals, but they are so big it will appear they are moving fast Divers can expect that the whale sharks may swim right up to them and must pay close attention at all times It is illegal to touch a whale shark, so make sure to swim out of the way if one swims toward you
Is a whale shark bigger than a Megalodon?
The Megalodon has been compared to the whale shark (around 1265 metres, or close to 4150 feet) and the scientific community has determined that Megalodon was larger, based on both weight and length Megalodon was also far bigger than the great white shark, which would only be around half of Megalodon’s size
Why isn’t whale shark a whale?
Unlike whales, sharks are not mammals but belong to a group of cartilaginous fishes The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) earns the name “whale” solely because of its size
Why whale is not fish?
Whales are warm blooded, which means they keep a high body temperature that does not change in the cold water Fish are cold-blooded, so their body temperature changes depending on the temperature of their environment Fish lay eggs, which must still grow into a baby fish So whales are indeed mammals and not fish!Mar 24, 2011
Are whale sharks carnivores?
Habitat and diet Though Whale Sharks have several hundred teeth, they don’t use them to eat Instead, these fish are filter feeders, swimming forward to swallow prey They are carnivorous, eating krill, crab and fish larvae, small schooling fish, and jellyfish
Is a whale shark a dolphin?
Sharks are fish Dolphins are part of the Cetacean family, which also includes whales and porpoises Sharks on the other hand, are cartilaginous fishes of the class Chondrichthyes, meaning their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone
Is a shark ray a shark?
Shark rays are neither sharks nor rays Their scientific name is Rhina ancylostoma Their common name is Bowmouth Guitarfish – their broad arc-shaped head is similar to a bow, and their body tapers into a more streamlined shape, much like that of sharks Shark rays have dual fins and human-like eyes
Do sharks fart?
We’ve all seen tiger sharks in aquariums just hanging there, unlike most sharks which would sink, well this is their secret! They let air out in the form of a fart when they want to lose buoyancy
Can sharks smell my period?
A shark’s sense of smell is powerful – it allows them to find prey from hundreds of yards away Menstrual blood in the water could be detected by a shark, just like any urine or other bodily fluids However, there is no positive evidence that menstruation is a factor in shark attacks
Why are sharks afraid of dolphins?
Dolphins are mammals that live in pods and are very clever They know how to protect themselves When they see an aggressive shark, they immediately attack it with the whole pod This is why sharks avoid pods with many dolphins
What are orcas afraid of?
“It’s very unusual that they’re afraid of anything—or seemingly afraid” Interactions between killer and pilot whales have only been scientifically documented a few times, and Samarra is among the first scientists to have observed this behavior in Iceland
Do dolphin eat sharks?
Do Dolphins Eat Sharks? Most dolphins will not eat sharks Species like the bottlenose dolphin will eat plankton, krill, octopus, and other small fish This is due to ancient sailors witnessing the creatures attack whale species which dubbed them as “killer whales”
Is a jellyfish a fish?
Jellyfish are not really fish, of course, because a fish’s anatomy is centered around its backbone, whereas the jellyfish is a dome-shaped invertebrate The cnidocytes on jellies’ tentacles discharge venom from a sac called a nematocyst These help them to capture floating prey in the water column
Can Whales breathe underwater?
Whales and dolphins are mammals and breathe air into their lungs, just like we do They cannot breathe underwater like fish can as they do not have gills This allows them to take breaths by exposing just the top of their heads to the air while they are swimming or resting under the water
What is whale milk?
What is whale milk like? As a general rule, whale milk is rich in fats and comes in very large quantities! The blue whale has the largest mammary glands on Earth – each is about 15m long and weighs as much as a baby elephant Blue whale mothers can produce 200 litres of milk per day with a fat content of 35-50%