WATERY WEDNESDAY #5

WATERY WEDNESDAY#5

Woohoo it’s another Watery Wednesday! We’ve found another fish that gets its name from a mammal. (Remember the Wolffish?) This one won’t roll over, sit or shake paws for you though. Can you guess what shark it is? Let’s meet…

MEET THE SPINY DOGFISH!

Range/Habitat: Coastal waters-worldwide (generally under 59 degrees)

Diet: Carnivore: crustaceans, anemones, fish

Length: 3 ¼ ft- 5 ft

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Fun Facts:

• The Spiny dogfish is a small, slow moving, bottom dwelling shark.
• They have venomous spines on both dorsal (top) fins that are used for defense and can cause painful wounds.
• They are often found swimming in large schools. They often feed together in large groups or “packs”. This feeding behavior is most likely where the name dogsfish came from. (Wild dogs also feed in packs or groups.)
• They are known to be aggressive and voracious eaters.
• They have one of the longest known gestation periods (time of pregnancy) of any shark (or any vertebrate for that matter) around 24 months (2+ years). That is longer than an elephant!

The Spiny dogfish is a cool and strange looking little shark, but with those venomous spines we’re glad this shark doesn’t shake fins ;)!