The whale shark is the world's largest fish, growing as long as 60 feet

بواسطة



Largest Fish is Mainly a Mystery
Contrary to its name, the whale shark is not a whale; it is, rather, the world’s largest fish, growing as long as 60 feet. It is widely distributed, found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, except the Mediterranean. As it swims, it sucks water through its gargantuan mouth, as wide as 5 feet, then filters out plankton and other microscopic organisms through its gills. It is an extremely patient feeder.  Individuals have been observed waiting as long as 14 hours for fish to spawn on reefs in order to eat the eggs. Whale sharks migrate long distances according to food availability and water temperature. One specimen was tracked 8,000 miles across the Pacific. 
Thought to have evolved 200 million years ago, one might think that humans would have had ample time to study the species, but its life history remains poorly understood, partially because it is both rare and migratory. Jacques Cousteau is reported to have observed only two whale sharks in his life. Scientists do know that the species gives birth to live young, unlike most fish, the eggs hatching in the mother’s body. Litters number up to 300 pups, but survival rates are thought to be low. If they do survive, they may live as long as 100-150 years, reaching sexual maturity around 25 years. 
The whale shark is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.  Because of its size, slowness, long development time, and high value on international markets, the species is inherently vulnerable to intentional fishing.  Incidental entanglement is also a threat.  In recent years, some locales have begun to feature whale sharks in ecotourism.  Docile and slow, the gentle fish is an alluring target for recreational divers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crappie Information

بواسطة
Image
Crappie Information The name crappie can refer to either the white crappie, which is lighter in color with vertical black stripes, or the black crappie, which is and darker with a pattern of black spots. Both species are similar in size, shape, and habits. The average crappie weighs between 1/2 and 1 pound and measures 5-12 inches, though they are capable of growing much larger. Crappie are very social fish and form schools to live in. . . Crappie spawn between May and June. During this time, the male fish will make an indented nest on the floor of shallow water. The female will then lay between 5,000 and 60,000 eggs. The eggs take approximately 2-5 days to hatch. Crappie are fertile breeders and will over-populate small bodies of water very quickly if the population is not controlled. Crappie Facts Crappie are less active during the day; they feed mostly at dawn and dusk. The Crappie is also known as the strawberry bass, speckled bass (or
Read more

Salmon Information

بواسطة
Image
Salmon Information There are six types of salmon that are harvested in and around the waters of North America. There is one salmon from the Atlantic Ocean called the Atlantic Salmon, and five from the Pacific Ocean called Chinook, Chum, Choho, Pink, Sockeye. Atlantic Salmon - Known also as the black salmon, this fish does not require salt water to live. This species is in decline in the United States and is listed on the Endangered Species List. The average size of the pink salmon is 8-12 pounds. Chinook Salmon - This animal is the state fish of Alaska and is also known as the King Salmon. It is the largest of the salmon species and can get up to 125 pounds. Chinook salmon can live a maximum of 7 years. Chinooks can be found in Alaska (mainly) and down the West coast. The average size of a Chinook is 10-15 pounds. Chum Salmon - This fish is found in Alaska down to the Northwest tip of the United States. It occupies the broadest range of any other salmon.
Read more

Bluegill Information

بواسطة
Image
Bluegill Information The bluegill is small freshwater fish normally measuring around 6 inches, but can get up to 12 inches. These fish typically weigh less than a pound. The fish’s body is dark green in color and oval shaped with dark bars running vertically down their sides. Behind their eyes is a black ear flap. The belly of a female bluegill is yellow, while the belly of a breeding male is a rusty red color. The bluegill has two dorsal fins and a small mouth. The body of the bluegill is very condensed. Spawning season begins in late May and doesn’t end until August. The male bluegills first arrive at the mating site and the make a spawning bed in shallow water. As a female bluegill approaches the nest, the male will circle around and make grunting noises. The females are more attracted to the larger male fish. After the female bluegill chooses her mate, she joins him in the nest and they both circle each other. If the female still decides to stay, they set
Read more