What Is The Scientific Name Of Whale Shark? (ANSWER)
SCIENTIFIC NAME OF WHALE SHARK – In this topic, we are going to know and identify the scientific name of whale shark.
Also known locally as butanding, it is the and the largest known extant fish species in the whale shark family Rhincodontidae. It is the largest non-cetacean animal in the world.
It falls under the Endangered category in the IUCN Red List. It was distinguished in April 1828 after one species was harpooned in Table Bay, South Africa.
It got its name for its size that is as large as some species of whales. Its mouth can contain to over 300 rows of tiny teeth and 20 filter pads which it can utilize to filter feed. Its mouth is located on their head.
The filter feeders also occur in two other sharks, namely: megamouth shark and the basking shark/
Answer
The binomial name of whale shark is Rhincodon typus.
Rhincodon is a genus of the whale shark family Rhincodontidae where it is its only species in both genus and family. It is a New Latin term which is derived from two words rhinc-, an irregular form of rhina, which means ‘shark‘; and -odon.
The specific epithet typus, on the other hand, is a Latin term which is derived from the Greek word túpos, which means “mark”, “impression”, “type”.
