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Spotted Spiny Dogfish
Scientifically:
Squalus acanthias.
What To Look For:
This is the most important commercial shark. It has
2 spined dorsal fins and white spots on a grey
body. This extremely abundant dogfish occupies
inshore waters where large schools pursue and feed
upon mid-water fish. It is recorded to depths of
900 m, undergoing seasonal migrations to keep
within a 7-15°C temperature band. It is known
to live up to 30 years, with some estimating its
life span to be 70 years. It is also called the
Piked Dogfish, Spiny Dogfish, Spurdog and the
Victorian Spotted Dogfish.
Size:
Males to 1 m; females to 1.65 m.
Distribution:
Circumglobal in temperate zone. Deep water from
124-515 m.
Food:
A voracious predator feeding on mid-water and
bottom-living bony fish, squid and shellfish.
Breeding:
Mates in winter, gestation lasting between 18 and
24 months. It gives birth to up to 20 live young
per litter.
Danger To Humans:
Care needed when handling as spines are sharp. Caught
by commercial trawlers.
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