Whale shark  (Rhincodon typus)

Authentication

Authenticated (26/03/08) by Dr Juerg Brunnschweiler.

Glossary

Dorsal fin: In fish, the unpaired fin found on the back of the body.
Ovovivipary: Method of reproduction whereby the egg shell is weakly formed and young hatch inside the mother; they are nourished by their yolk sac and then born.
Plankton: Aquatic organisms that drift with water movements; may be either phytoplankton (plants), or zooplankton (animals).

References

  1. IUCN Red List (February, 2008)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org
  2. Whale Shark Research Group (August, 2002)
    http://www.whaleshark.org
  3. CITES (November, 2002)
    http://www.cites.org
  4. CMS (August, 2002)
    http://www.cms.int
  5. Shark Specialist Group (August, 2002)
    http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/organizations/ssg/ssg.htm
  6. Australian Museum (August, 2002)
    http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/rtypus.htm
  7. Brunnschweiler, J. (2008) Pers. Comm.
  8. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia (August, 2002)
    http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/index.php
  9. Whorton, B. (2002) A Gathering of Giants. BBC Wildlife Magazine, 20 (8): 53 - 55.
  10. CITES. (2000) Proposals for Amendment of Appendices I and II, Proposal 11.47. Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties, Nairobi, Kenya.