Whale sharks and blue sharks are two distinct species distinguished by their vivid coloration, gigantic size, and different dietary requirements. These species help to maintain the aquatic system’s biological balance. But when it comes to size, what do you think, which specie is bigger? Let’s find out.
Blue Whale Vs Whale Shark
1. Size
A mature blue whale can weigh as much as 300,000 lbs. Aside from its enormous size, the blue whale is also incredibly long, weighing as much as 100 feet. Female blue whales are frequently larger than male blue whales.
The whale shark is on the other side, despite being the largest of all fish, is just about 40 feet long. It can weigh as much as 60,000 pounds.
2. Classification
One of the most significant distinctions between the two is their biological classification. Blue sharks are cetaceans and are considered mammals, but whale sharks are fishes and belong to the shark family. Because whale sharks are fish, they have gills to assist them to breathe, but blue whales, like mammals, have lungs to help them breathe.
3. Breathing Mechanism
Sharks and other fish may extract oxygen from water. They accomplish this with the use of specialized structures known as gills.
Blue whales do not breathe through their gills, but like other mammals, perform breathing through their lungs. Whales, unlike sharks, are unable to extract oxygen from the water. This is why whales are often observed swimming to the surface of the ocean, every now and then. This is to give them some fresh air to breathe. A blowhole is used to draw in air. The blowhole is placed directly on top of the whale’s head.
4. Appearance
Whale sharks have flattened heads, blunt noses, and a bluish-gray look with a white bottom, whereas blue sharks, have a pointed snout and a deep-blue body that becomes lighter on the sides. They have a white underside, similar to whale sharks. Furthermore, blue whales have a slimmer physique than shark whales.
Which is Bigger – A Blue Whale or A Whale Shark?
There is a clear winner in terms of size: blue whales are substantially larger than whale sharks. In reality, blue whales are the largest animals on the earth, that ever existed, whether on land or in the sea. Looking through the fossil record, blue whales appear to be larger than any dinosaur, fish, mammal, or bird that has lived.
Are Blue Whales and Whale Sharks the Same?
Whale sharks are not actually whales, but rather sharks. Although their name is confusing in this regard, they are filter-feeding sharks, which due to their friendly nature are also known as “gentle giants of the ocean.” Not only this, but they are also the world’s largest fish with a length of 12 meters.
The Final Word
Blue whales are bigger than whale sharks as they are the largest animals on the earth with a big appetite as well. Blue whales and whale sharks are different from each other in terms of appearance, size, weight, diet, habitat, and classification. However, both organisms need to be taken care of as they have been exploited by human activities at large.
