Species: Centroscymnus owstonii, Roughskin Dogfish, Roughskin Dogfish Shark

Centroscymnus owstonii Garman, 1906

Roughskin Dogfish, Roughskin Dogfish Shark

Body cylindrical, fusiform, not tapering from shoulders; eyes on side of head, without nictitating membranes; spiracles large, just behind eyes; snout moderately long, flattened, rounded from above, length before mouth ~ distance between center of mouth & level of 1st gill slit, and ~equal to mouth width; mouth short, nearly transverse; lips thick and fleshy; top teeth narrow, elongate, sharp, with a single point; bottom teeth large, blade-like, interlocking, with low, oblique points; gill slits 5, all before pectoral fin; 2 dorsal fins, each with a small, grooved, usually protruding spine; 2nd dorsal higher & more triangular than 1st, 1st low, lobe-like, with base extending forwards as a low, inconspicuous ridge; origin of 1st dorsal well behind pectoral fin base, nearer pectoral base than pelvic base; no anal fin; pectorals with short, broadly rounded free rear tips that end well before 1st dorsal spine; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, upper lobe with deep notch under tip, lower lobe short but well developed; no keels or pits before base of tail fin; abdomen with side ridges; denticles above gill slits large, with low, oval, ridged, 3 pointed crowns, flank denticles of juveniles similar, of adults flat, smooth, oval; cloaca without a luminous gland.

Uniform dark brown to black

Reaches 120 cm.

Depth range 150-1459 m

Benthopelagic

All three oceans: the Gulf of Mexico and southern Brazil