Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Elasmobranchii > Order: Lamniformes > Family: Cetorhinidae > Genus: Cetorhinus > Species: Cetorhinus maximus

Basking shark - Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus, 1765)

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Quick facts

Threat status Europe	Endangered (IUCN)
Protected by	13 international agreements

Distribution

The distribution map is currently disabled. A new map solution will soon become available. In the meantime, please consult other species distribution map providers listed in the Other resources panel below.

Threat and conservation status

IUCN Red List status of threatened species

The IUCN Red List threat status assesses the risk of extinction.

World

Vulnerable

Europe

Endangered

Not evaluated

IUCN Red List Category

Not Evaluated	Near Threatened	Regionally Extinct
Not Applicable	Vulnerable	Extinct in the Wild
Data Deficient	Endangered	Extinct
Least Concern	Critically Endangered

Sources:

EU conservation status

The EU conservation status is assessed for species mentioned in the EU Habitats Directive annexes. The EU Habitats Directive does not cover this species.

Natura 2000 sites

Not available

Legal status

Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements

Legal text	Annex	Conditions	More information
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Annex II: strictly protected fauna species	In the Mediterranean	http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cul.../bern/default_en.asp
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. (Bonn Convention)	Annex I: migratory species which are endangered and must be protected by Parties	Synonym for this species is listed in Appendix I of the Bonn Convention (CMS). See there for more details.	http://www.cms.int/
	Annex I: migratory species which are endangered and must be protected by Parties
	Annex II: migratory species which have an unfavourable conservation status and which require international agreements for their conservation and management, as well as those which have a conservation status which would significantly benefit from the international co-operation that could be achieved by an international agreement.	Synonym for this species is listed in Appendix II of the Bonn Convention (CMS). See there for more details.
	Annex II: migratory species which have an unfavourable conservation status and which require international agreements for their conservation and management, as well as those which have a conservation status which would significantly benefit from the international co-operation that could be achieved by an international agreement.
Memorandum of understanding on the conservation of migratory sharks - under Bonn Convention (Sharks MOU)	Annex 1: species for which measures have to be taken to improve or restore a favourable conservation status		http://www.cms.int/sharks/en
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)	Annex II: (a) all species which, although not necessarily now threatened with extinction, may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival; and (b) other species which must be subject to regulation in order that trade in specimens of certain species referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph may be brought under effective control.	Synonym for this species is listed in CITES. See there for more details.	http://www.cites.org/eng
	Annex II: (a) all species which, although not necessarily now threatened with extinction, may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival; and (b) other species which must be subject to regulation in order that trade in specimens of certain species referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph may be brought under effective control.
Commission regulation (EU) No 1320/2014, of 1 December 2014, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (EU regulation of trade of fauna and flora)	Annex B includes: All other CITES Appendix II species, except where EU Member States have entered a reservation; Some CITES Appendix III species * Some non-CITES species		http://ec.europa.eu/environm...s/legislation_en.htm
Barcelona Convention Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean (SPA/BD Protocol)	Annex II: Endangered or threatened species that the Parties shall manage with the aim of maintaining them in a favourable state of conservation. They shall ensure their maximum possible protection and recovery.	Synonym for this species is listed in Appendix II of the Barcelona Convention Protocol. See there for more details.	http://rac-spa.org/protocol http://rac-spa.org/sites/def...sion_ig_19_12_en.pdf
	Annex II: Endangered or threatened species that the Parties shall manage with the aim of maintaining them in a favourable state of conservation. They shall ensure their maximum possible protection and recovery.		http://rac-spa.org/protocol http://rac-spa.org/sites/def...sion_ig_19_12_en.pdf
Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic ("OSPAR Convention") (OSPAR Convention)	Initial OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats (Reference Number: 2003-14) in addition to Annex V		http://www.ospar.org/content...240000_000000_000000
	or declining species in the North East Atlantic. The purpose of the list is to guide the OSPAR Commission in setting priorities for its further work on the conservation and protection of marine biodiversity. The inclusion of a species or of a type of habitat on this list has no other significance.	Synonym for this species is listed in OSPAR Convention. See there for more details.

Common names and synonyms

Common Name	Language	Reference
An liamhán gréine	Irish (recte Irish Gaelic)	Fishbase
Basking shark	English	Fishbase
Beinhákarl	Icelandic	Fishbase
Bone shark	English	Fishbase
Brugd	Swedish	Fishbase
Brugde	Danish	Fishbase
Brugde	Norwegian	Fishbase
Büyük camgöz	Turkish	Fishbase
Colayo	Spanish	Fishbase
Dlugoszpar a. rekin gigantyczny	Polish	Fishbase
Éléphant de mer	French	Fishbase
Elephant shark	English	Fishbase
Gabdoll	Maltese	Fishbase
Gobdoll	Maltese	Fishbase
Hoe-mother	English	Fishbase
Jättiläishai	Finnish	Fishbase
Mandelhai	German	Fishbase
Marrajo ballenato	Spanish	Fishbase
Marrajo gigante	Spanish	Fishbase
Peje vaca	Spanish	Fishbase
Pelerin	French	Fishbase
Peregrino	Spanish	Fishbase
Peshkagen shtegtar	Albanian	Fishbase
Peshkaqen shtegtar	Albanian	Fishbase
Pixxitonnu	Maltese	Fishbase
Poisson à voiles	French	Fishbase
Requin	French	Fishbase
Requin pélerin	French	Fishbase
Reuzenhaai	Dutch	Fishbase
Riesenhai	German	Fishbase
Saparnasm Skylopsaro	Greek	Fishbase
Squale géant	French	Fishbase
Squale-pèlerin	French	Fishbase
Squalo elefante	Italian	Fishbase
Sun-fish	English	Fishbase
Tiburón canasta	Spanish	Fishbase
Tiburón peregrino	Spanish	Fishbase
Tubarâo-frade	Portuguese	Fishbase

Synonym	Author
Squalus maximus	Gunnerus, 1765
Squalus maxima	Bonnaterre, 1788
Squalus gunnerianus	Blainville, 1810
Cethorinus gunneri	Blainville, 1816
Selache maxima	Cuvier, 1817
Cetorhinus blainvillei	Capello, 1870
Cetorhinus maccoyi	Barrett, 1933
Cetorhinus normani	Siccardi, 1961
Cetorhinus rostratus	(Macri, 1819)
Halsydrus maccoyi	(Barrett, 1933)
Halsydrus maximus	(Gunnerus, 1765)
Halsydrus pontoppidani	Neill, 1809
Polyprosopus macer	Couch, 1962
Selachus pennantii	Cornish, 1885
Squalus cetaceus	Gronow,1854
Squalus elephas	LeSueur, 1822
Squalus gunneri	Blainville, 1816
Squalus homianus	Blainville, 1810
Squalus isodus	Macri, 1819
Squalus pelegrinus	Blainville, 1810
Squalus peregrinus	Blainville, 1810
Squalus rashleighanus	Couch, 1838
Squalus rhinoceros	DeKay, 1842
Squalus rostratus	Macri, 1819
Squalus shavianus	Blainville, 1816
Tetroras angiova	Rafinesque, 1810
Squalis gunneri	Blainville, 1816
Squalis shavianus	Blainville, 1816
Scoliophis atlanticus	Anon., 1817
Cetorhinus maximus infanuncula	Deinse & Adriani, 1953
Cetorhinus maximus normani	(Siccardi, 1961)
Tetroras maccoyi	Barrett, 1933

Other resources

CoL (accepted name)	Catalogue of Life
Fauna Europaea search	Fauna Europaea
FishBase	FishBase
GBIF	Global Biodiversity Information Facility
ITIS (Valid name)	Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI search	National Center for Biotechnology Information
PESI (Accepted)	Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Species+	Species+ by UNEP-WCMC
Wikipedia	Wikipedia
WoRMS	World Register of Marine Species

External data

No external data sets available for this species

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