Whale sharkThe whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is a slow-moving, filter-feedingcarpet shark and the largest known extantfishspecies. An individual with a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft) has been considered the largest reliably recorded. The whale shark holds many records for size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living non-cetacean animal.
Megamouth sharkThe megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) is a species of deepwater shark. Rarely seen by humans, it measures around 4–5.5 m (13–18 ft) long and is the smallest of the three extantfilter-feeding sharks alongside the much larger whale shark and basking shark. According to Sharkman's World Organization, a total of 296 specimens have been observed or caught since its discovery in 1976.
Filter feederFilter feeders are aquatic animals that feed on organic matter, foodparticles or smaller organisms (bacteria, microalgae and zooplanktons) suspended in water, typically by having the water pass over or through a specialized filteringorgan that sieves out and/or traps solids.
SharkSharks are a group of elasmobranchcartilaginous fishes characterized by a riblessendoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the divisionSelachii and are the sister group to the Batomorphi (rays and skates).
Gill rakerGill rakers in fish are bony or cartilaginous processes that project from the branchial arch (gill arch) and are involved with suspension feeding tiny prey. They are not to be confused with the gill filaments that compose the fleshy part of the gill used for gas exchange. Rakers are usually present in two rows, projecting from both the anterior and posterior side of each gill arch. Rakers are widely varied in number, spacing, and form.
PlanktivoreA planktivore is an aquatic organism that feeds on planktonic food, including zooplankton and phytoplankton. Planktivorous organisms encompass a range of some of the planet's smallest to largest multicellular animals in both the present day and in the past billion years; basking sharks and copepods are just two examples of giant and microscopic organisms that feed upon plankton.
Fish migrationFish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousands of kilometres. Such migrations are usually done for better feeding or to reproduce, but in other cases the reasons are unclear.
FishA fish is an aquatic, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrateanimal with a tough cranium to protect the brain, but lacking limbs with digits. Fish can be grouped into the more basaljawless fish and the more common jawed fish, the latter including all livingcartilaginous and bony fish, as well as the extinct placoderms and acanthodians.
Cosmopolitan distributionIn biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the Earth, in appropriate habitats; most cosmopolitan species are known to be highly adaptable to a range of climatic and environmental conditions, though this is not always so.
OverwinteringOverwintering is the process by which some organisms pass through or wait out the winter season, or pass through that period of the year when "winter" conditions (cold or sub-zero temperatures, ice, snow, limited food supplies) make normal activity or even survival difficult or near impossible. In some cases "winter" is characterized not necessarily by cold but by dry conditions; passing through such periods could likewise be called overwintering.
Commercial fishingCommercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions. Large-scale commercial fishing is called industrial fishing. The major fishing industries are not only owned by major corporations but by small families as well.
Fish finBony skin-covered spines or rays protruding from the body of a fishRay fins on a teleost fish, Hector's lanternfish (1) pectoral fins (paired), (2) pelvic fins (paired), (3) dorsal fin,(4) adipose fin, (5) anal fin, (6) caudal (tail) finFins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and lift, which help the fish swim.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.