Page 38 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2021
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LEISURE
CLASSIFICATION
CLASS: Chondrichthyes FAMILY: Rhincodontidae GENUS: Rhincodon SPECIES: typus
This story is part of Embrace the Gulf 2021, sponsored by Clean Gulf Associates and Shell.
Take Action! Engage with our ETG 2021 “Call to Action” campaign and show us how you are making a di erence in your community.
story by Christina Mohrman photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1. Whale sharks are found in open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
2. They can be up to 40 feet long, about the size of a school bus.
3. Whale sharks are the largest sh species. That’s right, sharks are a type of sh!
4. Whale sharks eat by ltering small plankton and sh eggs from the water.
5. The spot pattern on each whale shark is unique just like your ngerprints. Scientists use photos of
these unique spot patterns to track and study individual whale sharks in the wild.
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38 | February 2021 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
GET TO KNOW THE GULF:
Whale Shark
Fun Facts
