Kingdom : Animalia Class : Chondrichthyes Family : Squalidae Scientific Name : Squalus Acanthias Size : 48 - 160cm (19 - 63in) Water Type : Salt Optimum pH Level : 6.5 - 8.5 Life Span : 25 - 80 Years Colour : Grey, Black, Brown, White Skin Type : Smooth Special Features : Lack of anal fin and poisonous spines on back
- Spiny dogfish are small-sized sharks that are found in the oceans worldwide.
- They are also known as the Thorndog, the Codshark and the Piked Dogfish.
- They are one of the most abundant, well-researched and well-known species of shark.
- Generally, they inhabit the warm coastal waters but they can also be found hunting in Antarctic waters.
- They have a grey-colored body with a light underside and white spots on their back.
- Distinctively, they have spikes in front of both their dorsal fins, which are poisonous (mildly).
- They are quite aggressive and keep off their predators with their spikes and their relatively big size.
- They have huge eyes and a short snout.
- They are carnivores, feeding on squid, crustaceans, fish, octopus and other sharks.
- They have very few natural predators in larger sharks, killer whales and humans.
- The female spiny dogfish produces around 2-15 eggs that hatch inside its body.
- The spiny dogfish fry develops inside its mother’s body for nearly two years and then is born as a spiny dogfish pup.
- Spiny dogfish is considered a species that is threatened from extinction.