The Lesser-Spotted Dogfish shark

When people think of sharks, the first one that comes to mind is "Jaws" itself, which explains the bad reputation of the great white shark. Then you discover that there are in fact between 375 and 475 shark species in our oceans and you wonder: "Aren't all sharks the same?" Well, the answer is "no". And one of these species is the lesser-spotted dogfish shark.


In fact, while sharks unfortunately inherited the reputation of
cold blooded killers, the reality is quite different as 80% of all shark
species are either incapable due to their size or due to their diet to attack
humans. Nonetheless, it does not mean that you should not be careful in
shark territory. After all, if you step on it, it will defend itself.

Since you probably don't know much, if anything, about the
lesser-spotted dogfish shark, let's discover it together. The lesser-
spotted dogfish shark belongs to the order of the Carcharhiniformes. Its
scientific name is Scyliorhinus canicula. It is quite popular in the North
Atlantic region from Northern Europe to Senegal. Its natural habitat also
includes the Mediterranean Sea.

It is much smaller than its close relatives: the whaler, the
hammerhead and the tiger shark. Like its cousins, it is known as a
voracious predator. Its maximal length is 100 cm and its weight can
reach up to 3 kg. Its diet mainly includes: small fish, crustaceans, squid
and small mollusks.

This type of shark is oviparous, which means that it lays eggs.
During the breeding season, the female can lay up to 8 eggs a week and
is doing so, two eggs at a time. The eggs are enclosed in small pouches
known as mermaids' purse. You can find them on seashores and small
rock pools.

Physically, its skin has a velvety look and is covered in small
spots a bit like a leopard. Its snout is wide, rounded and soft. Its eyes are
shaped like a cat's eye, which explains its nickname as the small spotted
cat shark.

Unfortunately, like other dogfish of the shark species, is often
used in recipes making it a popular choice of prey for fishermen.


If you wish to learn more about other types of sharks, I invite you to visit the following page: types of sharks.