Occasionally known as "sunfish" or "sailfish" in certain areas of the world, the basking shark is the only member of the family Cetorhinidae. It was first described by Gunnerus in 1765 from a specimen from Norway and was originally assigned the name Squalus maximus. Synonymous names include Halydrus pontoppidani, Tetroras angiova, sqalus cetorhinus gunneri, Squalus isodus, Squalus elephas, squalus rashleighanus