Animal Unique | Basking Shark | One of the unique shark, Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is coastal pelagic species in arctic to temperate waters of the continental and insular shelves warm. They are often observed at or near the surface of both far from the coast and close to the country during the summer months sharks are very rarely seen in winter. It was previously thought that Basking sharks hibernate during the winter due to some indirect evidence especially their disappearance in the winter months and that the weight of the liver fished shark was much lower in spring than in autumn indicates a cessation of the feeding.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Cetorhinida Gill, 1862
Genus: Cetorhinus Blainville, 1816
Species: C. maximus
Basking sharks are recognized by their large size, conical snout, sub-terminal mouths, very large gill slits, dark hair-like gills inside the gills (present most of the year), strong tail keels and large lunatic (curved) tails. Basking sharks have a large number of small teeth. Their bodies are mottled gray / brown to slate-gray or black, sometimes with lighter patches on the back. The ventral side is paler, often with white spots under the nose and the mouth or along the belly. Two albino Basking sharks of the North Atlantic Ocean are included. It is the second largest fish, surpassed only by the whale shark. Their average size is 6.7-8.8 m. The largest measured basking shark was 9.75 m, 9.14 m long and one individual was recorded that weighed 3.900 kg. There are also unconfirmed reports of Basking sharks to 13.7 m long.
Basking sharks are found in temperate waters of both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. They are usually seen by people at or near the surface and are observed along almost every coastline bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Along the west coast of North America, they are perceived from British Columbia to Baja California, mostly in the winter and spring months. This trend was reversed in the North Atlantic area. Basking sharks are social animals and are sex-segregated schools, usually in small numbers (3 or 4), but reportedly up to 100 individuals. Their social behavior is thought to follow visual cues. While Basking shark eyes are small, they are fully developed. They can visually inspect ships, possibly confuse them peers. Females are thought to look in shallow waters to give birth.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Cetorhinida Gill, 1862
Genus: Cetorhinus Blainville, 1816
Species: C. maximus
Basking sharks are recognized by their large size, conical snout, sub-terminal mouths, very large gill slits, dark hair-like gills inside the gills (present most of the year), strong tail keels and large lunatic (curved) tails. Basking sharks have a large number of small teeth. Their bodies are mottled gray / brown to slate-gray or black, sometimes with lighter patches on the back. The ventral side is paler, often with white spots under the nose and the mouth or along the belly. Two albino Basking sharks of the North Atlantic Ocean are included. It is the second largest fish, surpassed only by the whale shark. Their average size is 6.7-8.8 m. The largest measured basking shark was 9.75 m, 9.14 m long and one individual was recorded that weighed 3.900 kg. There are also unconfirmed reports of Basking sharks to 13.7 m long.
Basking sharks are found in temperate waters of both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. They are usually seen by people at or near the surface and are observed along almost every coastline bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Along the west coast of North America, they are perceived from British Columbia to Baja California, mostly in the winter and spring months. This trend was reversed in the North Atlantic area. Basking sharks are social animals and are sex-segregated schools, usually in small numbers (3 or 4), but reportedly up to 100 individuals. Their social behavior is thought to follow visual cues. While Basking shark eyes are small, they are fully developed. They can visually inspect ships, possibly confuse them peers. Females are thought to look in shallow waters to give birth.
While Basking sharks have few or no predators, White sharks were reported caught on the remains of these sharks. Observers have long suspected that Killer whales, also known as Killer whales are active, to pursue and feed on basking sharks, yet, this is based on the account of one person, a West Cornwall fisherman who claims to have witnessed a frenzied attack a killer whale on a large basking shark off Porthcurno more than 50 years ago. Piercing are often seen attached, although it is unlikely that they are able to cut through thick skin of the shark
The Basking sharks are a passive filter feeder, filtering zooplankton, small fish and invertebrates of up to 2,000 short tons (1,800 tonnes) of water per hour. They feed at or near the surface with their mouths wide open and Gill Rakers focus. Unlike the Megamouth shark and Whale shark, the basking shark is not actively seeking quarry, but possess large olfactory bulbs that may lead to. It relies only on the water that it pushes through its gills by swimming, the megamouth shark and whale shark can suck or pump through their gills.
Historically, the Basking shark is a staple of the fishery due to the slow swimming speed, non-aggressive nature and previously abundant numbers. Commercial was to bring many applications: meat and fish for food, skin for leather, and large liver (which are rich squalene) for oil. It is currently mainly fished for their fins (for shark fin soup). Components (such as cartilage) are also used in traditional Chinese medicine and as an aphrodisiac in Japan, further adding to demand.
Due to the rapidly declining numbers, the Basking shark is protected and trade in its products is limited in many countries.As of 2008, efforts are underway to determine whether sharks are still living in the area and monitor their recovery potential. It is tolerant of boats and divers to approach and may even circle divers, making it an important draw for dive tourism in areas where it is common.
Animal Discovery And Animal Unique In The World