What is Dogfish?

The term dogfish concerns sharks that belong to the Squaliformes Order, especially the Squalidae family, which are found in many world oceans. It is a common name for many of the 119 species of small to medium sharks that belong to this group. The most populated group is Dogfish buckles, which is one of the most abundant sharks. Dogfish has several shared characteristics, including the arrangement of the fin, bioluminescence, diet and oviparous reproductive development.

Dogfish sharks are found in most of the world's oceans, from tropical to sub-arctic temperatures. They tend to remain in colder, most of the time lower depths, although for a short time they travel to greater depths in colder waters. Some species can also be found in coastal areas. In some areas, they are harvested for food and other use and many species are threatened because of this practice.

Dogfish sharks range from 19 inches (48 cm) to 5.2 feet (1.6 m). Most species have rounded bodiesand, with a mouth located on the underside, slightly backwards. The skin usually feels harsh sand, with five slits on each side of the head. They have two dorsal fins with spines, but generally no anal fins; In many species, these spines are coated with poison, which is a feature unique for this type of shark. Many species have different levels of bioluminescence, which means that they seem to shine when they are in darker areas, as if they were illuminated from the inside.

Because most species are carnivorous, Dogfish shark usually consists of any easily accessible smaller animals. This may include invertebrates such as jellyfish, crabs, krill, octopus and octopus, or other fish such as cod, herring and cod. One species, also known as a cookie cutter, actually carve a piece of meat from prey without eating the whole organism.

Reproductive Development in Dogfish is Oviparous. This means that eggs develop inside the mother's body after fertilization by male and children are born alive.During development, children are maintained by a yolk bag and the mother shark gives birth to a period of pregnancy of different lengths depending on the species. One species, barbed dogfish, usually has the longest known period of pregnancy lasting 18 to 22 months and the average size of litter is five to six children known as puppies.