The Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias, is a small coastal shark of the second largest shark order known as Squaliformes. In this order there are seven families, and at least 130 species. The Spiny Dogfish is a member of the family Squalidae, which also has the common name of Dogfish Sharks.
All dogfish have a slender, cylindrical, and slightly flattened body type. No member of this family has an anal fin, and all species have two dorsal fins with spines.
Spiny Dogfish have a large spine on each dorsal fin, and its many common names reflect this unique body feature. Other common names include: the spurdog, piked dogfish, codshark, thornshark, and the humerus skittledog. The body of this species of shark is counter shaded, with slate gray or brown on the dorsal surface, grading into white or dirty white.
These fish inhabit the colder waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans from the shallows to nearly 2400 ft. (700 m.) deep. In the Pacific, Spiny Dogfish range from the Bering Sea to Baja California, with greatest abundance along the coast of British Columbia and Washington. During the summer months, divers will frequently encounter these sharks in the shallows hunting for a meal.
Growing up I fished on the weekends with my family, dogfish were something we caught on occasion and were immediately thrown back. My family as well as other fisherman hated these animals, and in some cases I saw people cut open their stomachs and throw them back live. This kind of ignorance and disdain really hit me as a kid and has always stuck with me. As an underwater image maker who loves sharing my world with each of you the thought of that kind of behavior really bothers me and these days these sharks are very rarely seen by divers. Be kind to each other and to all species.
If you are lucky enough to see one of these skittish sharks underwater and want to get an image, you must possess a great deal of patience, along with the willingness to give these creatures some space. Spiny Dogfish is curious by nature, however they will dart away if they feel even slightly threatened.
Thanks for reading.
Scott
For more stories and images - http://www.scottstevensonphotography.ca/
