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Dogsharks. Dogfish Sharks. Squalidae species.
All images and text on this
page are copyright protected: © 2010 Kelvin Aitken.
All rights reserved. Students may use this information for
personal research only. Not for commercial use.
Dogfish are the largest shark family in Australia with 40
species. They range from the smallest of all sharks, the Smalleye
Pygmy Shark (Squaliolus aliae), at 22 cm long, to the huge
6 m long Pacific Sleeper Shark (Somniosus pacificus). All
dogfish have large spiracles, two dorsal fins, often with
a sharp defensive spine, and lack an anal fin.
Most species are deep-water dwellers, inhabiting the 100–2000
m depth range, but some, like the White-Spotted Spurdog that
lives on the southern coast, can be found in shallow bays.
It would be unusual for any diver or snorkeler to see a dogfish
but anglers find them regularly and some species are an important
component of the commercial catch.
The 50 cm long Cookie Cutter Shark (Isistius brasiliensis)
is a notorious hit-and-run merchant. During the night it migrates
from the depths to the surface and latches itself onto any
large animal, such as a tuna, dolphin or whale. It then removes
a plug of flesh from its victim before racing away. The lips
act as a suction cup to hold it onto the side of its host,
while the pointed upper teeth grasp the flesh. The lower teeth
are blade-like and slice out a circular chunk of meat as the
shark spins on its axis.Box:
Lantern sharks are a group of dogfish that glow in the dark.
Their bellies, flanks and tails have luminescent organs that
may attract prey or help hide them from the predators beneath
as the glow blends in with the faint star- or moonlight at
the surface.
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