Species: Zameus squamulosus, Smallmouth Velvet Dogfish, Velvet Dogfish, Velvet Dogfish Shark

Zameus squamulosus (Gunther, 1877)

Velvet Dogfish, Velvet Dogfish Shark, Smallmouth Velvet Dogfish

Body cylindrical, fusiform; head low, flat; eyes on side of head, without nictitating membranes; spiracles large, just behind eyes; snout relatively long, narrow, without barbels; mouth short, nearly transverse; top teeth narrow, needle-like, without cusplets, non-overlapping, 47-60 rows; bottom teeth large, blade-like, overlapping, without cusps, erect, 32-38 rows; gill slits 5, all before pectoral fin; 2 dorsal fins, each with a very small, grooved spine; 1st dorsal smaller than triangular 2nd dorsal; space between dorsals less than head length; origin of 1st dorsal behind pectoral fins, closer to pectoral tip than to pelvic; no anal fin; pectoral fins lobe-like, with rounded tips; pelvic fins larger than 2nd dorsal; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, upper lobe with deep notch under tip, lower lobe strong; no keels or pits before base of tail fin; skin denticles close-set, not enlarged, flank denticles with prominent longitudinal ridges and smaller transverse ridges.

Body and fins uniform dark brown to black.

Reaches 84 cm

Epipelagic tp benthopelagic

Depth range 0 - 2200 m.

Scattered locations in all three oceans; Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean to Brazil.