Dogfish Research Paper

The Squalus acanthus is nicknamed the dog fish because they are known to feed in packs which is similar to the habits of dogs, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website. These sharks are classified as chondrichthyes (“Squalus Acanthias”). According to the article Spiny Dogfish, the dogfish’s relatives include the Pygmy shark and the Sleeper shark. The Squalus acanthus has an endoskeleton skeleton type. They live in the interdial zone up to 900 meters deep. The dogfish sharks swim in water 45 degrees to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (“Squalus Acanthias”). Alaska to Baha California is their range (“Spiny Dogfish”). The article Squalus Acanthias also notes that dogfish live in both coastal and demersal parts of the ocean. These sharks are comfortable in both shallow and deep waters because they are ectothermic, which means their body temperature adapts depending on the temperature of the waters around them (“Squalus Acanthias”). According to the article Sharks and Rays, the average size of a male dogfish shark is 39 inches and, surprisingly, the average size of a female dogfish shark is 49 inches. Dogfish sharks go through an amazing amount of teeth in their lifetime, between 20,000 and 30,000 according to the article The Jaws of Death: How Spiny Dogfish Destroy Their Prey. This article also …show more content…
Other forms of reproduction are oviparous and ovoviviparous. Oviparous refers to the laying of eggs. Ovoviviparous is the process of having babies by eggs hatching in the mothers body (“Shark and Ray Reproduction”). In the article Shark Anatomy, it says the male dogfish shark reaches sexual maturity at 11 years of age. Females on the other hand reach sexual maturity at the age of 20. The frequency of reproduction is every two years. The young sharks are born and are immediately ready to be on their own. They have everything they need to survive and take care of themselves (“Shark and Ray