Bighead spurdog (Squalus bucephalus)

Scientific name: Squalus bucephalus Last, S?ret & Pogonoski, 2007

Bighead spurdog (Squalus bucephalus)

The Bighead spurdog (Squalus bucephalus) is a marine fish of the family Squalidae. Native range: Western Pacific, northern Tasman Sea on Norfolk Ridge (Stylaster Seamount), and off New Caledonia.

Biology

This large, broad-headed species of the 'megalops-cubensis group' is distinguished by the following set of characters: head width at mouth 12.1-13.5% TL; mouth width 2.2-2.7 times its horizontal prenarial length; direct pre-second dorsal length 3.9-4.0 times the pectoral-fin anterior margin, 2.7 times dorsal caudal margin; preoral length 2.7-3.1 times the horizontal prenarial length, 9.2-10.5% TL; strongly bifurcated anterior nasal flap; low and raked first dorsal fin; exposed bases of dorsal-fin spines are broad, 0.7-0.8% TL; both dorsal fins with short inner margins, first dorsal-fin height 1.4-1.5 times its inner margin length, second dorsal-fin height 0.8-1.0 times its inner margin length; pectoral-fin anterior margin 1.8-2.0 times its inner margin length; preventral caudal margin 1.8-2.2 times the inner margin of pelvic fin; dorsal fins with dark distal portion, posterior margin of free rear tip pale; caudal fin upper posterior margin broadly white, lower lobe with dark base and

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Squalus bucephalus
Family
Squalidae (Dogfish sharks)
Order
Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
90.0
Depth range
448–880 m (1470–2887 ft)
Environment
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 448 - 880 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Western Pacific: northern Tasman Sea on Norfolk Ridge (Stylaster Seamount), and off New Caledonia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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