Animal Species:Whitespotted Dogfish, Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758

Dan Gledhill and Peter Last

Dan Gledhill and Peter Last
David McClenagan © CSIRO Fisheries

Alternative Name/s

Piked Dogfish, Spiny Dogfish, Spotted Spiny Dogfish, Spurdog, Victorian Spotted Dogfish, White Spotted Dogfish, White-spotted Dogfish, White-spotted Spurdog, Whitespotted Spurdog

Identification

The Whitespotted Dogfish has a spine in front of both dorsal fins. It is bluish grey to grey above grading to pale below. The body has scattered white spots. The pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins have white margins.

Size range

Varies by region. In Australia to about 1 m.

Distribution

Widely distributed in temperate marine waters.  In Australia from eastern Tasmania and Victoria to Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Squalus acanthias

Classification

Species:
acanthias
Genus:
Squalus
Family:
Squalidae
Order:
Squaliformes
Class:
Chondrichthyes
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Edition 2. CSIRO. Pp. 644, Pl. 1-91.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Whitespotted Dogfish, Squalus acanthias, Squalidae, fishes, ichthyology,