Why is the family Rhincodontidae considered monotypic concerning R. typus?
Answer
It is the only recognized living species in its immediate family group.
The designation of the family Rhincodontidae as monotypic means that *Rhincodon typus* is currently the sole recognized living species that belongs to this specific immediate taxonomic family group. Although the whale shark fits into the larger, more ancient order Orectolobiformes (the carpet sharks), its own family tree has narrowed down to just this one extant representative. This singularity within its family highlights the specialized and unique evolutionary pathway *R. typus* followed within the broader context of cartilaginous fishes.
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