huge, sluggish shark of the family Cetorhinidae, usually classified as one species (Cetorhinus maximus). Named for its habit of floating or slowly swimming at the surface, the basking shark inhabits temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. It is a giant, growing as long as 14 m (46 feet), and is exceeded in size among fishes only by the whale shark. Despite its size, the basking shark feeds on plankton. It is a gray-brown or blackish shark, with tiny teeth and very long gill slits. It is generally inoffensive and is hunted sporadically for fish meal and liver oil. When found decaying on beaches, it is sometimes reported as a sea serpent.