Squalidae, more commonly known as dogfish, dog sharks, or spiny dogfish, are one of several families of sharks categorized under Squaliformes, making it the second largest order of sharks, numbering 119 species across 7 families. Having earned their name after a group of fishermen reportedly observed the species chasing down smaller fish in dog-like packs, dogfish have slender, streamlined bodies, usually more compact in comparison to other species, and a pointed snout. Dogfish likewise have two dorsal fins, each with smooth spines, but no anal fin, and their skin is generally rough to the touch. As the species reaches adulthood, males usually measure a maximum of 100 cm, while females typically measure 125 cm long. The species therefore exhibits female-dominant sexual dimorphism.
The dumb gulper shark is a rare and endangered deepwater dogfish, found along the east coast of Australia and in isolated spots north and west of New Zealand. It is also known as the dumb shark, Harrison's deep-sea dogfish, or Harrison's dogfish.
The birdbeak dogfish is a dogfish shark of the family Centrophoridae found in the Pacific Ocean around Honshū, Japan, southern Australia, New Zealand, and Chile, and in the Atlantic Ocean from Iceland south to the Cape of Good Hope.
Mandarinfish or mandarin fish may refer to:
The New Zealand eagle ray or Australian eagle ray is an eagle ray of the family Myliobatidae, found in bays, estuaries, and near rocky reefs around New Zealand and southern Australia on the inner continental shelf. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The prickly dogfish is a poorly known species of dogfish shark in the family Oxynotidae, inhabiting temperate Australian and New Zealand waters. Reaching a length of 75 cm (30 in), this brown to gray shark has a very thick body with a prominent "humpback" and extremely rough skin. It is further characterized by two enormous, sail-like dorsal fins placed relatively close together. Both dorsal fins have a spine embedded mostly within the fleshy leading portion of the fin; the first dorsal spine is tilted forward.
The mandarin dogfish is a dogfish, a member of the family Squalidae in the order Squaliformes. It is found at depths of 140–650 metres (460–2,130 ft) off southern Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Populations off Australia and New Zealand were formerly included in this species, but in 2007 these were assigned to a new species, the southern mandarin dogfish. It is not clear which of these species is involved in other populations from the tropical West Pacific.
The New Zealand lanternshark is a shark of the family Etmopteridae mainly found off the coast of New Zealand. It can also be found in the Southern areas of Australia and Africa, inhabiting water depths between 500-1500m. These sharks can be commonly known as Baxter's dogfish and giant lantern shark. According to the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS), this species conservation status is considered non-threatened.
The Cuban dogfish is a dogfish, a member of the family Squalidae in the order Squaliformes.
Cirrhigaleus is a genus of sharks in the Squalidae (dogfish) family, which is part of the Squaliformes order.
The draughtsboard shark is a species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, so named for its "checkerboard" colour pattern of dark blotches. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is also known as the carpet shark. This shark typically reaches 1 m (3.3 ft) in length and has a thick body with a broad, flattened head and a capacious mouth. Its two dorsal fins are placed far back on the body, with the first much larger than the second.
The Portuguese dogfish or Portuguese shark, is a species of sleeper shark of the family Somniosidae. This globally distributed species has been reported down to a depth of 3,675 m (12,057 ft), making it the deepest-living shark known. It inhabits lower continental slopes and abyssal plains, usually staying near the bottom. Stocky and dark brown in color, the Portuguese dogfish can be distinguished from similar-looking species by the small spines in front of its dorsal fins. Its dermal denticles are also unusual, resembling the scales of a bony fish. This species typically reaches 0.9–1 m (3.0–3.3 ft) in length; sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are much smaller and have distinct depth and food preferences.
The shortspine spurdog is a dogfish, a member of the family Squalidae, found on continental shelves off Japan in temperate waters, from the surface to 950 m. Its length is up to 75 cm.
The whitetail dogfish is a very rare sleeper shark of the family Somniosidae, found from the eastern Indian Ocean round southern Australia to New Zealand, at depths of between 150 and 500 m. Its length is up to 1.1 m.
Squalus crassispinus, the fatspine spurdog, is a dogfish of the family Squalidae, found on the continental shelf off the northern coast of Western Australia, at depths of 180 to 200 metres. The length of the longest male specimen measured is 56 centimetres (22 in).
Squalus nasutus, the western longnose spurdog, is a dogfish of the family Squalidae, found on the continental shelf off the northwest and southwest coasts of Western Australia, at depths between 300 and 510 m. Its length is at least 55 cm.
The flagtail swellshark is a little-known species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, found at a depth of 480–700 m (1,570–2,300 ft) off northeastern Queensland, and possibly also nearby islands. This stout-bodied shark has a short, broad, and flattened head with a capacious mouth. Adults have a variegated brown coloration with 9–10 darker dorsal saddles and V-shaped blotch at the tip of the upper caudal fin lobe. Juveniles are yellow with narrow brown bars instead of saddles, and a distinctive marking between the spiracles shaped like two loops connected by a line. Like other swellsharks, this species can inflate its body when threatened.
The bighead spurdog is a rare and little-known species of dogfish shark in the family Squalidae. It is found in deep water south of New Caledonia, and over the Norfolk Ridge. Reaching at least 90 cm (35 in) in length, this stocky shark is brown above and light below, with a broad head and two dorsal fins with long spines. It is the only member of its genus with both one- and three-pointed dermal denticles. An infrequent bycatch of longline fisheries, this species is listed under Data Deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Squalus montalbani, the Philippine spurdog or Indonesian greeneye spurdog, is a relatively large species of dogfish shark native to waters off the coast of Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The species was identified in 1912 from a specimen caught off the coast of Luzon Island, and has been both bycatch and a targeted species in fisheries since. Its taxonomy is complex, having been renamed in 1931, being misidentified as a type of shortspine spurdog, then being revived as a species in 2007.
The greeneye spurdog is a species of dogfish described in 2007. It is a member of the family Squalidae, found off the coast of southeastern Australia. The length of the longest specimen measured is 85.6 cm (33.7 in). It was considered conspecific with the shortspine spurdog.
