Black dogfish (Centroscyllium fabricii)

Scientific name: Centroscyllium fabricii Reinhardt, 1825

The Black dogfish (Centroscyllium fabricii) is a marine fish of the family Etmopteridae.

Biology

Found on the outermost continental shelves and upper slopes, mostly below 275 m. Epibenthic-pelagic. At high latitudes, may move up to the surface especially during the winter. Bottom water temp. Are from 3.5 to 4.5?C, but sometimes down to 1?C. Segregation by sex and size as well as by movement into shallower water and by increase in school size is sometimes seen. Feeds on crustaceans, cephalopods, jellyfish and small fishes. Ovoviviparous, with at least 14 pups in a litter. Has luminescent organs in skin. May reach 107 cm.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Centroscyllium fabricii
Family: Etmopteridae (Lantern sharks)
Order: Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class: Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length: 107
Common length: 70
Depth range: 180–1600 m (591–5249 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 180 - 1600 m, usually 550 - 1000 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Northwest Atlantic: South Baffin Island and Greenland to Virginia, USA and possibly the Gulf of Mexico. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland along Atlantic slope to Senegal; Guinea to Sierra Leone; Namibia to Quoin Point, South Africa. Southwest Atlantic: Uruguay to Argentina.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec=14)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026