What evolutionary status defines the whale shark within Family Rhincodontidae, according to its current classification?
Answer
It is the only extant member
The whale shark holds a uniquely solitary position within its formal taxonomic grouping at the family level, specifically Family Rhincodontidae. This family currently contains only one extant, or living, species: *Rhincodon typus*. This means that all other members of this ancient family line are now extinct. The supporting evidence for this ancient lineage is often found in the fossil record, including fossil teeth, which suggest the evolutionary history of this family stretches back significantly in geological time, specifically tracing back to the Late Oligocene period, approximately 28 million years ago. Its closest relatives exist only as fossils, such as *Rhincodon ferriolensis* found in Europe.
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