Basking sharks and whale sharks are the two largest fish in the ocean and share many unique traits.
They might be the world’s two largest fish, but they eat some of the smallest food in the sea. Both are filter feeders, with large mouths and many rows of tiny teeth, used to pull water through their mouth and comb it for plankton and krill.
That said, these two unique species have some key differences. Here’s how to spot a a whale shark from a basking shark.
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Difference between whale sharks and basking sharks
Size
The key difference between these two species is their size. Although they are the two largest fish in the sea, the whale shark is significantly bigger. The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, reaching lengths of up to 18.8m, while the basking shark is the second-largest fish, clocking in at around 12m.
Colouring
The whale shark has a distinctive checkerboard-and-spot pattern on its body, while the basking shark mostly a single shade of dark grey, with only very subtle patterning.
Habitat
Whale sharks usually inhabit warm, tropical waters, whereas basking sharks prefer cooler, more temperate regions. In fact, basking sharks are among the 40-or-so species of shark found in British waters.
Swimming style
Whale sharks are more consistent in their movements than basking sharks, which often swim in zigzags, turning unpredictably.
Top image: Basking shark. Credit: George Karbus Photography/Getty Images
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