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Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus (Smith, 1828)
A Whale Shark at a depth of 2 m, Great Detached Reef, Great Barrier Reef, northern Queensland, January 1993. This fish was photographed during the FNQ field trip. Photo: J. Leis © Australian Museum. View larger image.
M. McGrouther watching a young Whale Shark from the stern of the NJoy during the FNQ field trip, January 1993. Photo © J. Leis. View larger image.
Whale Shark teeth from the Australia Museum Fish Collection (AMS IB.7100) Photo: S. Humphreys © Australian Museum. View larger image. View more images (1, 2, 3).
Scanning electron micrograph of the scales of a Whale Shark from the Australia Museum Fish Collection (AMS IB.7314). Photo: S. Lindsay © Australian Museum. View larger image. Learn more about fish scales.
The Whale Shark is the largest of all fishes. It may grow up to 18 m in length, but fish of 4 m to 12 m in length are more commonly seen.
The species has prominent ridges on the sides of the body with the lowermost ridge expanding into a keel on the caudal peduncle. Whale Sharks can be easily recognised by their size and colour pattern. The back and sides are blue to blackish with white stripes and blotches. The ventral surface is whitish.
Despite its huge size, the Whale Shark is not a threat to people. There are about 300 tiny, hooked teeth in both jaws. Whale Sharks feed by filtering small crustaceans, squid and fishes from the water using filtering screens on the gills. The species usually feeds by swimming with the huge mouth open, however it can also feed by hanging vertically in the water and opening its mouth to allow water to rush in.
The Whale Shark is a pelagic species that occurs in continental shelf and offshore waters in both tropical and warm temperate waters of all oceans.
In Australia it is known primarily from northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. It is also recorded from scattered localities in New South Wales, Victoria and the western Great Australian Bight.
View a map of the localities of specimens (teeth, skin and staff sightings only) in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Whale Sharks follow migratory patterns that may be related to the presence of their prey.
Related links
- What is the largest fish?
- View the Sharks list
Further reading
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
- Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol.7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. Pp. i-xii, 1-665.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
