Surely you've already wondered about the biggest fish that exists in the world! Today, in addition to the answer to this question, you will learn some interesting facts about a magnificent animal that lives in the tropical and temperate seas of the planet. Ready to meet this wonderful living being?
The biggest fish in the world is the whale shark. Don't be fooled by the term whale in this animal's name, it's not a mammal! This fish is in the group of cartilaginous fish, lives in a marine environment, in tropical and warm temperate waters, and its scientific name é Rhincodon typus.
The whale shark, also called the spotted and star dogfish, has a robust body full of spots and stripes, in addition to a characteristic wide flat head. This animal can reach up to 20 meters in length and weigh more than 12 tons. The largest whale shark on record weighed an incredible 34 tons.
Despite being a gigantic animal, the whale shark is not a big predator of the oceans. It feeds on small organisms such as small crustaceans that form what is called plankton. They also eat some fish and shellfish such as squid. To feed, he uses a strategy quite peculiar to such a large animal: suction and filtration.
These animals are ovoviviparous, that is, the development of the embryo occurs inside the mother's body, but they are nourished through the yolk sac. This type of reproduction is also known as lecytotrophic viviparity.
Whale sharks are often found in the same areas every year, probably because of the abundance of food in certain regions. Here in Brazil, they are found practically all along the coast, but they are most frequently seen in the archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo in Pernambuco.
The whale shark is a very docile animal
Because they always frequent the same regions, these points are generally a source of much tourist exploitation. In Australia, for example, there are points where it is possible to swim calmly with these animals. Although the name shark is quite scary, whale sharks are very docile animals, so swimming with them is not too risky.
Whale sharks are currently classified as vulnerable on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite being protected by law in some parts of the world, hunting is allowed in certain regions, such as Taiwan. Predatory hunting is responsible for hundreds of deaths every year, which seriously damages the future of the species.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
