Whitespotted Dogfish, Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758

Scientific name: Squalus acanthias
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
Dan Gledhill and Peter Last Click to enlarge image
Dan Gledhill and Dr Peter Last with a Whitespotted Dogfish, Squalus acanthus. Dan and Peter both work at the Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO, Hobart. They visited the fish section on 26 and 27 July 2011 to source images for a web project and to continue their research on Australian fishes. Image: David McClenagan
© CSIRO Fisheries

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Squalus
    Species
    acanthias
    Family
    Squalidae
    Order
    Squaliformes
    Class
    Chondrichthyes
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    Varies by region. In Australia to about 1 m.

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.

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.

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.