Family: SQUALIDAE, Dogfish Shark, Dogfish Sharks

FAMILY SQUALIDAE

DOGFISH SHARKS

Small sharks (to 1.5 m) with cylindrical bodies, short to moderately long, flattened snouts; eyes without nictitating membrane; large spiracles just behind eyes; teeth blade-like, similar in form and size on both jaws, with strongly oblique tips; 5 gill slits, all before pectorals; 2 dorsal fins with un-grooved spines, ~ same size or 1st a little larger; origin of 1st dorsal well before the pelvic fins; no anal fin; tail base usually with a pair of keels and a pit above; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, large lower lobe, top lobe not notched near tip; skin with denticles.

The family, which occurs worldwide in tropical to cold temperate waters has 2 genera and 12 species; four species in two genera enter shallow water in the Greater Caribbean.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER CARPENTER (2002)