Colours
Distinguishing features
Its mouth contains between 300 to 350 rows of tiny teeth and 10 filter pads which they use to filter feed. Whale sharks have five large pairs of gills. Their head is wide and flat with two small eyes at the front. Whale sharks are grey with a white belly. Their skin is marked with pale yellow spots and stripes which are unique to each individual. The whale shark has three prominent ridges along its sides. Its skin can be up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) thick. The shark has a pair of dorsal fins and pectoral fins. Juveniles' tails have a larger upper fin than lower fin, while the adult tail becomes semi-lunate (crescent-shaped). The whale shark's spiracles are just behind its eyes. (Wikipedia)
Size
- Up to 1265 cm (Length of specimen)
Depth range
- Up to 1286 m
Synonyms
Distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Although typically seen offshore, it has been found closer to land, entering lagoons or coral atolls, and near the mouths of estuaries and rivers. Its range is generally restricted to about ±30° latitude. (Wikipedia)
Local abundance
- Lady Elliot Island: Extremely rare.
