The spiny dogfish may go by many names, including piked dogfish, rock salmon and spiky dog, but only one truly represents this shark’s unique defense strategy. Using sharp, venomous spines in the front of each dorsal fin, the spiny dogfish is a small but mighty predator that isn’t afraid to take a jab at passing fish.
What structure is unique to dogfish?
A feature peculiar to our specimen, the spiny dogfish, is the presence of two spines, one immediately anterior to each dorsal fin. When captured, these sharks will arch their backs and attempt to pierce their captor with these long sharp spines.
What are the characteristics of a dogfish shark?
Spiny dogfish are slim, with a narrow, pointed snout and characteristic white spots. They are gray above and white below. They have two dorsal fins with ungrooved large spines. Males grow up to 3.3 feet, and females grow up to 4 feet.
What common feature is absent in the dogfish shark?
There is no notch on the upper caudal lobe and the lower caudal lobe is not well-developed. There is no anal fin on the spiny dogfish.
Why is the dogfish important?
These sharp spines serve as a defense mechanism against the dogfish’s predators, such as sixgill sharks and seals. Dogfish are keystone predators, and ecologically important in their niche.
How is the dogfish sharks nose different from our own?
How is the shark’s nose different from our own? The shark’s nose is only used for smelling their surroundings, not for respiration. Sharks use gills for respiration purposes. Humans use their nose for both breathing and smelling.
Does a dogfish have teeth?
The small teeth of the smooth dogfish are flat and blunt, similar in both the upper and lower jaws. They are asymmetrical with a rounded apex or cusp. Large mature smooth dogfish has tooth crowns that are low, hiding the cusps.
Can a dogfish hurt you?
These “dogs” may not bite, but they sure can sting. On the leading edge of their dorsal spine is a big, white, needle-sharp spine, a formidable weapon capable of inflicting agonizing pain.
How do dogfish protect themselves?
To defend itself, the spiny dogfish may inject venom into predators from the two spines near the dorsal fins. Humans are only at risk if they improperly handle these sharks.
Why is it called dog fish?
It is said to be so called because it hunts in packs. The wild dog was the image of sharks in classical antiquity as well, and Greek used kyon “dog” also for dogfish and sharks, especially the smaller kind.
Do dogfish sharks have tongues?
The oral cavity contains the tongue and teeth. The pharynx is the portion leading past the spiracle and five gill slits and also contains the tongue in dogfish.
Do dogfish have lungs?
The lungs are long, slender and saclike. They run along the dorsal sides of the pleuroperitoneal cavity and are attached to the body wall by the pulmonary ligament on the left side and on the right, the hepatocavopulmonary ligament that also supports the liver.
Are dogfish cold blooded?
In the retinas of cold-blooded animals, especially the dogfish and the tiger salamander, the responses of bipolar cells to light have been studied extensively, contributing important results on the polarity (ON/OFF) and the time course (sustained/transient) of their responses, the currents involved, and the receptive
Are dogfish edible?
You can eat dogfish without a problem. Dogfish are edible and are regarded by some as one of the tastiest sea foods out there. If someone was to ask me what dogfish tastes like, I would tell them that smooth dogfish in particular have a flaky, firm texture, with a mild sweet flavor.
Can dogfish survive out of water?
They can survive out of water for 2-3 days. Their diet consists of anything that looks edible, but is mainly other fish. They prefer water bodies with heavy vegetation, but do inhabit clear water lakes.
Do dogfish have good eyesight?
The fact that its refractive index is high (1.66) suggests that the static optical system of this eye is very similar to that of the teleosts.
Which shark has the biggest brain?
Among lamnoids — the shark order which includes the Great White — the toothy but phlegmatic Sandtiger Shark (Carcharias taurus) has the largest brain relative to its body size, with a brain weight-body weight ratio overlapping those of some whaler sharks.
Do sharks sneeze?
While many animals, including humans, elephants, pandas and even seals can sneeze, sharks, unfortunately, cannot. To be able to sneeze, an animal needs to move air (or water) from the lungs through its nose to the outside.
Do sharks sleep?
Sharks can sleep, and often opt to keep their eyes open while they do, according to new research published in Biology Letters. Because some sharks must swim constantly to keep oxygen-rich water flowing over their gills, it has long been rumored that they don’t snooze at all.
What is the largest organ in the dogfish shark?
Liver
Liver: Taking up roughly 80% of the shark’s internal body cavity, the liver is the largest of sharks’ organs. The liver stores energy as dense oil which helps the shark with buoyancy, its ability to float. It also works as a part of the digestive system and helps filter toxins out of the shark’s blood. G.
Can sharks be blue?
Blue sharks are recognizable for their exceptionally slender body and bright blue coloration. They are dark blue on the back, bright blue on the sides, and white on the underside. The colour quickly changes to a uniform dark grey if the shark is removed from the water.
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