C+maximus

**Cetorhinus maximus** Basking Shark

Genus- Cetorhinus Species- maximus Class- Chondrichthyes Order- Lamniformes Family- Cetorhinidae

Location of Ecosystem- North Pacific Ocean Temperature- 10ºC-20ºC Salinity- 33.0-35.0 PSS Geological Processes- Volcanoes and Earthquakes Currents- Aleutian Current North Pacific Current (or North Pacific Drift) Humboldt Current (or Peru Current) Kuroshio Current (or Japan Current) Oyashio Current Mindanao Current North Equatorial Current South Equatorial Current Cromwell current Tidal Range- .57 meters

Lives in the deep water during the winter and pelagic zones in the summer

Basking sharks migrate according to seasons. They travel to cooler coasts such as Canada in the summer and migrate to the ocean floors in the winter. The population of basking sharks is unknown and said to be decreasing and the species is considered vulnerable to extinction. The species was place on the list in 2000 because they continue to be hunted in the small areas that they live.

Appearance Basking sharks have a long, cylindrical body with a very pointed, large snout. It has large eyes and very large gill slits. It is very dark and nearly black in color. basking sharks grow to be 1.2 meters long.

Reproduction Aplacental viviparous- The eggs develop and hatch inside the mother. There is no placenta to feed the pups so they eat the other siblings inside the mother.

Anatomy -Have two triangular dorsal fins. The caudal fin closest to the snout is significantly large the back fin. -Have a lunar caudal fin. -Planktonic feeders -Shed their gill rakers every year -Buoyant due to their large livers filled with oils such as squalene -Covered in placoid scales -Cone-shaped snout -Gills are large and covers almost the entire circumference of the head -Has very small, hooked teeth and many of them -Has a huge, subterminal mouth

Food Chain Basking sharks are filter feeders that eat plankton, fish eggs, and baby fish. The basking shark doesn't have any known predators. White sharks do feed on dead basking sharks.  Economic Importance of Basking Sharks The sharks' liver is used to collect oil. The hide is used leather. Currently, the basking shark is being tested for anti-carcinoma drugs.  Reason for Endangerment -Overfishing. The species has a slow growth rate and this makes them very vulnerable to overfishing.  Conservation Efforts The species is now being protected under laws in some waters.

Solutions -Continuing to pass laws to protect overfishing of basking sharks. -Not allowing fishing in areas known to have a basking shark population. -Study the species more and get an accurate estimation on the population.

<span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(105, 225, 9); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Scavenger Hunt -How do basking sharks reproduce? -How many dorsal fins do basking sharks have? -Why are basking sharks endangered?

Sources http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4292/0 http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/baskingshark/baskingshark.html http://www.shark.ch/Projects/BaskingSharks/index.html http://www.baskingsharks.co.uk/