basking shark

bask·ing shark

(băs′kĭng)n. A very large shark (Cetorhinus maximus) that measures up to about 12 meters (40 feet) in length, feeds on plankton, and often floats near the surface of the water.

basking shark

n (Animals) a very large plankton-eating shark, Cetorhinus maximus, often floating at the sea surface: family Cetorhinidae. Also called: sailfish

bask′ing shark`

(ˈbæs kɪŋ, ˈbɑ skɪŋ)
n. a large shark, Cetorhinus maximus, of cold and temperate seas, that often swims slowly or floats at the surface. [1760–70]

Thesaurus

Noun

basking shark - large harmless plankton-eating northern shark; often swims slowly or floats at the sea surfaceCetorhinus maximusmackerel shark - fierce pelagic and oceanic sharksCetorhinus, genus Cetorhinus - comprising only the basking sharks; in some classifications considered the type genus of a separate family Cetorhinidae

Translations

basking shark

basking shark,

large, plankton-feeding shark, Cetorhinus maximus, inhabiting many oceans of the world, especially in temperate regions. Found singly or in schools of up to 100, it spends much of its time on or just below the surface, cruising slowly with its dorsal fin breaking water. It reaches a length of 40 ft (12 m) and weighs up to 8,500 lb (3,900 kg)—among fishes it is second in size only to the whale shark. It feeds by filtering out plankton as water passes into its mouth and out of the gills. Its gill openings are greatly enlarged to accommodate a large volume of water, and its throat is lined with numerous slender structures called gill rakers. These rakers, which are attached to the inside of the gill arches, form a fine mesh that serves as a strainer. The basking shark has a torpedo-shaped body, a nearly symmetrical tail fin, and long, conspicuous gill slits. Its color ranges from gray to black or brown. It is fished commercially, mostly by harpooning; its flesh is used for fish meal and its liver oil for certain tanning processes. It is classified in the phylum ChordataChordata
, phylum of animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development. Most chordates are vertebrates (animals with backbones), but the phylum also includes some small marine invertebrate animals.
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Chondrichthyes, order Selachii, family Cetorhinidae.

basking shark

a very large plankton-eating shark, Cetorhinus maximus, often floating at the sea surface: family Cetorhinidae

basking shark

bask·ing shark

basking shark

bask′ing shark`

basking shark

basking shark,

basking shark

basking shark

Synonyms for basking shark

noun large harmless plankton-eating northern shark

Synonyms

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