Definition of basking shark in English English dictionary
A very large shark, Cetorhinus maximus, that feeds at or close to the surface by filtering plankton from the water and is found in all the world's temperate oceans
large harmless plankton-eating northern shark; often swims slowly or floats at the sea surface
One of the largest species of sharks (Cetorhinus maximus), so called from its habit of basking in the sun; the liver shark, or bone shark
Huge, sluggish shark (family Cetorhinidae) named for its habit of floating or slowly swimming at the surface. Possibly comprising more than one distinct species, it inhabits northern and temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. It may grow as large as 46 ft (14 m); among fishes, only the whale shark grows larger. Despite its size, the basking shark feeds on plankton. It is gray-brown or blackish, with tiny teeth and very long gill slits. It is generally harmless and is hunted sporadically for fish meal and liver oil
It inhabits the northern seas of Europe and America, and grows to a length of more than forty feet