Species learning profile

Basking shark

Cetorhinus maximus

Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a saltwater fish associated with open ocean habitat in Global. The second-largest fish filters plankton through enormous gill slits.

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খোলা সমুদ্রCetorhinidae

At a glance

পানি
লোনা পানি
Habitat
খোলা সমুদ্র
সর্বোচ্চ দৈর্ঘ্য
1220 cm
বিস্তৃতি
বিশ্বজুড়ে
গোত্র
Cetorhinidae
বর্গ
Lamniformes

Observe

How to identify Basking shark

  • The second-largest fish filters plankton through enormous gill slits.
  • Guide context: open ocean habitat in Global.
  • Reported maximum length: 1220 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with open ocean habitat across Global. With little fixed shelter, currents, temperature fronts, depth, and moving prey define its open-ocean world.

Behavior

Cruises slowly with its mouth open

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Zooplankton.

Ecological role

Converts tiny plankton into biomass for ocean food webs.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Basking shark প্রায় 1220 সেমি পর্যন্ত বড় হয় এবং সাধারণত খোলা সমুদ্র-এর কাছে থাকে।

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Wide-ranging ocean fish can cross many jurisdictions, so bycatch, harvest limits, and international cooperation matter.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Basking shark in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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