I know what you're thinking, and no, the basking shark is not also referred to as the mother-in-law of the ocean. While the skeleton of a shark is made up of cartilage, unlike the bones of a fish, technically a shark is a fish. With that being settled, we can move on to what secured this beast the number eight spot on the top ten creepiest fish in the world list.

The basking shark is a classic example of why you should never judge a book by its cover. The fierce look of this monster is the only thing that qualified it for the top ten creepiest fish. In fact, the basking shark poses no threat to humans at all if left alone. Established to be the second largest species of shark, and found all over the world, weighing in at up to 19 tons and as much as 40 ft long. It is also one of the three known species of filter-feeding sharks. Unlike the other two filter-feeders, the basking shark does not have the ability to use suction and actively pump water in to their pharynxes. Instead it must rely solely on the passive flow of water, which is strained for food by gill rakers, at a rate of 2000 tons of water per hour. This heavyweight survives on invertebrates, small fish and zooplankton,





The basking shark was once a staple of fisheries because of previously abundant numbers, unaggressive nature, and slow swimming speed. In fact, basking sharks have been protected, and it's products restricted in many countries. Once considered a nuisance along the canadian Pacific coast, basking sharks were the target of a government eradication from 1945 to 1970. Now protected and monitored, they are an important draw to dive tourism in areas where they are common. Basking sharks are tolerant of boats and divers approaching, and may even circle curious divers.