The shark-whale fish "Rhincodon typus" is considered the largest fish on Earth, with a length of 12 meters and weighing nearly 13 tons. Despite it's huge size, it is not dangerous to humans, feeding exclusively with fish, crustaceans and molluscs.It has no teeth, like other sharks, but a gigantic mouth that separates plankton from water.
This species of shark is found in almost every seas, but they are met, in a larger number, in tropical and subtropical waters.
After the shark-whale (Rhincodon typus), Cetorhinus maximus, is the largest fish in the world, reaching a length of 12 m and weighing 19 tonnes. Despite the impressive size, the giant shark is also a harmless animal. It presents slow movements and feeds on plankton, which is absorbed through the five massive blades positioned around the head.
Cetorhinus maximus is the only member of Cetorhinidae family. The term "Cetorhinus" comes from the Greek, the word "ketos" meaning sea monster or whale and "rhine" being translated as nose. "Maximus" is a word of Latin origin - meaning "the greatest".
It's body is huge and dark gray colored - some specimens having pale shades on their lower sides - and the skin is covered with mucus.The mouth is large, with an opening of about one meter, and it has small teeth. The particularity of this species of shark is the size of the liver, that can weigh 25% of the entire weight of the body, serving as an upward force.
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