Whalefish
| Whalefish | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | Chordata
|
| Class: | Chondrichthyes
|
| Order: | Orectolobiformes
|
| Family: | Rhincodontidae
|
| Genus: | Rhincodon
|
| Species: | R. masculosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rhincodon maculosus Albertson, 1887
| |
The Whalefish (Rhincodon maculosus), also known as the Spotted Whale Shark, is a species of slow moving, filter feeding carpet shark native to most of the tropical oceans on earth. Despite their size, often exceeding 40ft in length, Whalefish are passive creatures that do not pose a threat to humans. Spotting a wild whalefish is considered extremely good luck in Libertas Omnium Maximus, and poaching or slaying a whalefish is a very serious offense. In Iustitia, many local native religious groups believe that whalefish protect the coastal waters of the Khersonsic peninsula from naval invaders, such as the Shenic raiders of the late 12th century.