(Entry 6) Whale Sharks
Why are whale sharks called whale sharks? There has been debate and a need to clarify why these aquatic friends are called such. The whale shark's scientific name is Rhicodon Typus. These words are derived from the Greek root words "rhyngcho," meaning rasp, and "odous," meaning tooth. These gentle giants are indeed sharks. There were some hypotheses that they were false dolphins like the Orca. However, this was all put to rest when it was discovered they had cartilage instead of bones like most whales.
So why are they named whale sharks when they are just sharks? Are they a cross-bred species of the two? No, whales are mammals, while sharks are considered fish, meaning they could never copulate and produce. So why the whale moniker? This is because whale sharks are filter feeders! According to Merriam-Webster, filter feeders are "an animal (as a clam or baleen whale) that obtains its food by filtering food particles or tiny living things from water." Some filter feeders include humpback whales, basking sharks, and the infamous blue whale. (as seen below in respective order)
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Whale sharks are considered the largest living nonmammalian vertebrates after a confirmed record of an individual measured at 18.8 meters or about 62 feet in length.
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This is really interesting to me! I don't really have an interest in under the sea animal's but i want to keep reading and finding out more about these whale sharks. I feel like i got to learn something new from your blog.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you picked this topic! I've always found whale sharks so interesting and majestic. I wanted to be a marine biologist growing up and whale sharks always fascinated me. You did a great job providing a lot of enlightening information regarding them.
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