Picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

Scientific name: Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758

Picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

The Picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias) is a brackish-water fish of the family Squalidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 7–15°C (45–59°F).

Picked dogfish care at a glance

Temperature
7–15°C (45–59°F)

Biology

Possibly the most abundant living shark. An inshore and offshore dogfish of the continental and insular shelf and upper slopes. Usually near the bottom, but also in midwater and at the surface. Often found in enclosed bays and estuaries. Reported to enter freshwater but cannot survive there for more than a few hours. Schools mainly segregated by size and sex; mixed schools also reported. Growth is slow. At sexual maturity, males are 60-70 cm long, females 75-90 cm. Gestation period is 2 years. Ovoviviparous, with 1 to 20 young in a litter. The only species of horned sharks that can inflict toxins with its tail. Utilized for human consumption, liver oil, vitamins, sand paper, leather, fertilizer, etc..

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Squalus acanthias
Family
Squalidae (Dogfish sharks)
Order
Squaliformes (Bramble, Sleeper and Dogfish sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
160
Common length
100.0
Depth range
0–1460 m (0–4790 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; benthopelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 0 - 1460 m, usually ? - 200 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Greenland to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland and Murmansk Coast (Russia) to South Africa, including the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Reports from off New Guinea are doubtful. Records from North Pacific refer to Squalus suckleyi.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) (A2bd+3bd+4bd)
Threat to humans
Venomous
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (rm=0.034; K=0.03-0.07; tm=10-30; tmax=75; Fec=1)

Sources

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

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