WoRMS taxon details
Rhincodontidae Müller & Henle, 1841
105706 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:105706)
accepted
Family
Rhiniodontidae Müller & Henle, 1839 · unaccepted (synonym)
- Genus Rhincodon Smith, 1829
- Genus Micristodus Gill, 1865 accepted as Rhincodon Smith, 1829
- Genus Rhicodon accepted as Rhincodon Smith, 1829 (misspelling)
- Genus Rhineodon accepted as Rhincodon Smith, 1829 (misspelling)
- Genus Rhinodon accepted as Rhincodon Smith, 1829 (misspelling)
marine, terrestrial
Not documented
Distribution Distribution: tropical waters. Often near the surface, sometimes in schools of up to hundreds of sharks. Whale sharks are...
Distribution Distribution: tropical waters. Often near the surface, sometimes in schools of up to hundreds of sharks. Whale sharks are apparently highly migratory, probably timed with blooms of planktonic organisms. Five exceptionally large gill openings, the fifth behind origin of pectoral fin, over fin base. Elongated gill rakers. Mouth terminal. Reduced teeth. A unique color pattern of light spots and vertical and horizontal stripes, in the form of a checkerboard. Planktivorous. Maximum length 15.2 m, probably bigger (world's largest fish). [details]
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2024). FishBase. Rhincodontidae Müller & Henle, 1841. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105706 on 2024-11-22
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taxonomy source
Van Der Laan, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R. (2014). Family-group names of Recent fishes. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 3882(1): 1-230., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
context source (PeRMS) Chirichigno, N.; Cornejo, M. (2001). Catálogo comentado de los peces marinos del Perú. <em>2ª ed. Instituto del Mar de Perú. Publicación Especial. Callao.</em> 314 p. [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Compagno, L.J.V. (2001). Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes.</em> No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 269p. [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2024). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2024., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
[request]context source (PeRMS) Chirichigno, N.; Cornejo, M. (2001). Catálogo comentado de los peces marinos del Perú. <em>2ª ed. Instituto del Mar de Perú. Publicación Especial. Callao.</em> 314 p. [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Compagno, L.J.V. (2001). Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes.</em> No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 269p. [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2024). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2024., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Distribution Distribution: tropical waters. Often near the surface, sometimes in schools of up to hundreds of sharks. Whale sharks are apparently highly migratory, probably timed with blooms of planktonic organisms. Five exceptionally large gill openings, the fifth behind origin of pectoral fin, over fin base. Elongated gill rakers. Mouth terminal. Reduced teeth. A unique color pattern of light spots and vertical and horizontal stripes, in the form of a checkerboard. Planktivorous. Maximum length 15.2 m, probably bigger (world's largest fish). [details]
