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Photo © Alexa Elliot
Photo © Alexa Elliot
Photo © Alexa Elliot
Typical species:
Spiny dogfish
Photo © Marinethemes.com
Genera:
16
Species:
120
Dogfish sharks
The dogfishes include a great variety of small to very big sharks. Their biggest variety is in the deep water forms. While most dogfishes possess spines in front of their dorsal fins, some lack them and therefore have been put into different families in earlier years. However, all dogfishes lack an anal fin, a characteristics that is only shared by angel sharks, saw sharks and rough sharks. Dogfishes have a wide geographic and bathymetric range and are found in shallow and deep waters of all oceans. All members of this family show a ovoviviparous style of reproduction (aplacental viviparity). This family consists of 17 genera, including 65 to 70 species.