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| Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050 |
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| This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed. |
| Rhincodon typus AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS |
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Rhincodon typus
Immagine di Wirtz, P.
Immagini | Video | Francobolli, monete, materiale vario. | Google image
Immagine di Wirtz, P.
Classificazione / Nomi Nomi Comuni | Sinonimi | Catalog of Fishes(Genere, Specie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Elasmobranchi (squali e razze) (sharks and rays) > Orectolobiformes (Carpet sharks) > Rhincodontidae (Whale shark)
Etymology: Rhincodon: rhinc, presumably a typographical error for rhine (Gr.), rasp, but often mistranslated as rhynchos (Gr.), snout; odon, tooth, referring to small, slightly curved teeth, “placed in longitudinal rows, and altogether so disposed towards the anterior edges of jaws as to exhibit the resemblance of a rasp or file lying across each” (See ETYFish); typus: Serving as type species of the genus (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Camrin D Braun is an American ichthyologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Etymology: Rhincodon: rhinc, presumably a typographical error for rhine (Gr.), rasp, but often mistranslated as rhynchos (Gr.), snout; odon, tooth, referring to small, slightly curved teeth, “placed in longitudinal rows, and altogether so disposed towards the anterior edges of jaws as to exhibit the resemblance of a rasp or file lying across each” (See ETYFish); typus: Serving as type species of the genus (See ETYFish).
Eponymy: Camrin D Braun is an American ichthyologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Ambiente: milieu / zona climatica / distribuzione batimetrica / gamma di distribuzione Ecologia
marino pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromo (Ref. 87829); distribuzione batimetrica 0 - 1928 m (Ref. 106604), usually 0 - 100 m (Ref. 89972). Subtropical; 18°C - 30°C (Ref. 35465); 45°N - 48°S, 180°W - 180°E
Distribuzione Territories | Aree FAO | Ecosistemi | Presenze | Mappa dei ritrovamenti | Introduzioni | Faunafri
Circumglobal, all tropical and warm temperate seas except the Mediterranean.
Lunghezza alla prima maturità / Dimensione / Peso / Età
Maturità: Lm 500.0, range 440 - 560 cm
Max length : 1,700 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 48722); 2,000.0 cm TL (female); common length : 1,000 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 12757); peso massimo pubblicato: 34.0 t (Ref. 48722); Età massima riportata: 80 anni (Ref. 116781)
Max length : 1,700 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 48722); 2,000.0 cm TL (female); common length : 1,000 cm TL maschio/sesso non determinato; (Ref. 12757); peso massimo pubblicato: 34.0 t (Ref. 48722); Età massima riportata: 80 anni (Ref. 116781)
Breve descrizione Chiavi di identificazione | Morfologia | Morfometria
Spine dorsali (totale) : 0; Spine anali: 0. A huge, filter-feeding, blunt-headed shark with a distinct checkerboard pattern of yellow or white spots, on grey, bluish or blue-grey to green-brown back, white or yellowish underside, with horizontal and vertical stripes on back and sides of body; head broad and flat; snout short; mouth almost terminal, huge and transverse in front of eyes; prominent ridges on body, lowest terminating in a keel on caudal peduncle (Ref. 58085, 114967); nostrils with rudimentary barbels; long nasoral grooves; spiracles close to and larger than eyes; 5 exceptionally large gill openings, the fifth behind pectoral fin (Ref. 110893, 114967); numerous small, scale-like teeth and feeds by filtering plankton with special sieve-like modifications of the gill bars (Ref. 26938).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: other (see remarks).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: other (see remarks).
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 (Refs. 48672, 131113). 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).
Ciclo vitale e comportamento di accoppiamento Maturità | Riproduzione | Deposizione | Uova | Fecondità | Larve
Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 35465). Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Late term embryos shed their egg case within the uterus at a size of 58 to 64 cm TL (ovovivipary). The smallest free-living species are from 55-56 cm long, the smallest of which had an umbilical scar. A pregnant female has recently been found with 300 embryos, the largest of which were 58-64 cm (Refs. 26346, 35678).
Riferimento principale
Caricare le referenze | Bibliografia | Coordinatore : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaboratori
Colman, J.G., 1997. A review of the biology and ecology of the whale shark. J. Fish Biol. 51(6):1219-1234. (Ref. 26319)
Stato della Lista Rossa IUCN (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Endangered (EN) (A2bd); Date assessed: 31 March 2025
Minaccia per l'uomo
Harmless (Ref. 6871)
Usi umani
Pesca: commerciale
FAO - pesca: profilo della specie; Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us
Informazioni ulteriori
Ecologia trofica
Articoli alimentari (prede)
Alimentazione
Consumo di cibo
Razioni alimentari
Predatori
Articoli alimentari (prede)
Alimentazione
Consumo di cibo
Razioni alimentari
Predatori
Dinamica della popolazione
Parametri di crescita
Età massima / dimensioni massime
Rapporto lunghezza-peso.
Lunghezza-lunghezza rel.
Lunghezza-frequenze
Conversione di massa
Reclutamento
Abbondanza
Parametri di crescita
Età massima / dimensioni massime
Rapporto lunghezza-peso.
Lunghezza-lunghezza rel.
Lunghezza-frequenze
Conversione di massa
Reclutamento
Abbondanza
Ciclo di vita
Riproduzione
Maturità
Maturità/Gli occhielli sono relativi.
Fecondità
Deposizione
Aggregazioni riproduttive
Uova
Sviluppo delle uova
Larve
Dinamica popolazioni larvali
Riproduzione
Maturità
Maturità/Gli occhielli sono relativi.
Fecondità
Deposizione
Aggregazioni riproduttive
Uova
Sviluppo delle uova
Larve
Dinamica popolazioni larvali
Fisiologia
Composizione corporea
Nutrienti
Consumo di ossigeno
Tipo di nuoto
Velocità di nuoto
Pigmenti visivi
Suono del pesce
Malattie e parassiti
Tossicità (LC50)
Composizione corporea
Nutrienti
Consumo di ossigeno
Tipo di nuoto
Velocità di nuoto
Pigmenti visivi
Suono del pesce
Malattie e parassiti
Tossicità (LC50)
Legato all'uomo
Sistemi di acquacoltura
Profili di acquacoltura
Varietà
Casi di Ciguatera
Francobolli, monete, materiale vario.
Sistemi di acquacoltura
Profili di acquacoltura
Varietà
Casi di Ciguatera
Francobolli, monete, materiale vario.
Strumenti
Quiz organico | Libro elettronico | Giuda pratica | Chiavi di identificazione | Generatore frequenze di lunghezza | Strumento Parametri Biologici | Mappa dei ritrovamenti |
Cattura-MSY |
Rapporti speciali
Controllo della manutenzione dell'acquario | Verificare la presenza di schede informative sulle specie | Verifica delle schede informative sull'acquacoltura
Scarica XML
Fonti Internet
AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: Genere, Specie | DiscoverLife | DORIS | ECOTOX | FAO - pesca: profilo della specie; Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | Database Nazionali | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, ricerca | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Record zoologico
Stime basate su modelli
Temperatura preferita (Fonte Biblio. 123201): 19.6 - 29, mean 27.3 °C (based on 5510 cells).
Indice di diversità filogenetica (Fonte Biblio. 82804): PD50 = 1.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).
Livello trofico (Fonte Biblio. 69278): 3.6 ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.
Resilienza (Fonte Biblio. 120179): Molto basso, tempo minimo di raddoppiamento della popolazione più di 14 anni (K=0.02; Fec=16-300).