Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which sharks feed by filtering small crustaceans from the water?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
chondrichthyan
Southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana or Hypanus americanus) are found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The three largest shark speciesāthe whale shark, the basking shark, and the megamouth sharkāare filter feeders that consume minute organisms, including small crustaceans like copepods, krill, and shrimp, from the water.1234
These sharks utilize specialized straining apparatuses to concentrate their prey. The whale shark employs elaborate spongy tissue supported by its gill arches, while the basking and megamouth sharks use modified gill rakers to sieve plankton and other small organisms from the water as they swim with their mouths open.235