WHALE SHARK

Whale shark (Rhincodon typus). (Rhincodon typus), gigantic but harmless shark (family Rhincodontidae) found worldwide but mainly in the tropics. The largest of living fishes, it often grows to about 9 m (30 feet) long and reportedly may reach twice that. It is gray or brown with a pale undersurface and is distinctively marked with small spots and narrow vertical lines of yellow or white. The whale shark has tiny teeth and feeds on plankton and small fishes. A sluggish animal, it generally swims slowly near the surface and has been hit by ships.