Dog shark
Dog shark | ||||||||||||
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Dog shark ( Galeorhinus galeus ) |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
Galeorhinus | ||||||||||||
Blainville , 1816 | ||||||||||||
Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
Galeorhinus galeus | ||||||||||||
( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The dogfish ( Galeorhinus galeus ) is a shark of the family of smooth dogfish .
features
The external features of the shark are a long, pointed snout, large mouth, and small blade-like teeth. The second dorsal fin is about the same size as the anal fin , the upper part of the caudal fin is significantly larger than the rest of the fin. The shark is gray on the top and white on the underside. Young animals also have small black areas on their fins. The total length in adult animals is about two meters.
Habitat and behavior
Its distribution area is in the subtropical marine regions around the world; it can be found from the surface to depths of 550 meters. The usual habitat of the dog shark is on continental slopes and the shelf area , but it can also be found near the coast. In some cases the animal is pelagic and can be found in the open ocean, mostly near foraging grounds such as tuna migrations.
The dog shark shows group behavior and likes to spend time in schools with fellow dogs. In addition to a strong willingness to migrate - for example, New Zealand marked specimens were found in Australia - these schools also show a weak breakdown according to size and gender of the individuals.
The preferred food of the dog shark consists of fish (benthal or pelagial species), crustaceans , cephalopods , worms and echinoderms . Reproduction takes place through ovoviviparia .
Dog shark and human
For humans, the shark is not dangerous and is edible.
In captivity, the dog shark, unlike other species, can be preserved quite well if it is given appropriate care. The species is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN 2007 Red List of Threatened Species .
literature
Web links
- Dog shark on Fishbase.org (English)
- Fact Sheet: Dog Shark