Dogfish sharks are the second largest of shark orders with 128 species. Dogfish are highly diverse. They include:
Dwarf Lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi)
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Cookie-cutter Shark (Isistius brasiliensis)
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| Smallest of all known sharks at 6 inches |
Seduces its prey bioluminescence;
then scoops out a chunk of its flesh |
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)
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Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
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| Largest dogshark at 21 feet. |
Relatively abundant, but vulnerable to extinction because it of over-exploitation, low protection, and low reproductive capability. |
Caribbean Roughshark (Oxynotus caribbaeus
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Click below to view gallery:
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Squalus acanthias) off the Washington state coast. Spiny Dogfish are on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. Photo by: Greg Amptman
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Spiny Dogfish Shark
Spiny Dogfish Shark
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Squalus acanthias) off the Washington state coast. Spiny Dogfish are on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. Photo by: Greg Amptman
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Spiny Dogfish Shark
Spiny Dogfish Shark
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Squalus acanthias) off the Washington state coast. Spiny Dogfish are on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. Photo by: Greg Amptman
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Spiny Dogfish Shark
Spiny Dogfish Shark
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Squalus acanthias), Quadra Island, off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada ( Discovery Passage, North Pacific Ocean ). Spiny Dogfish are on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. Photo by: Doug Perrine, SeaPics.com
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Spiny dogfish
Spiny dogfish
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Squalus megalops), Victoria, Australia. Photo by: Doug Perrine, SeaPics.com
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Shortnose spurdog
Shortnose spurdog
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Squalus megalops), Victoria, Australia. Photo by: Doug Perrine, SeaPics.com
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Shortnose spurdog
Shortnose spurdog
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Somniosus microcephalus) & divers, St . Lawrence River estuary, Canada (these sharks were wild & unrestrained ; they were not hooked and tail-roped as in most or all photos from the Arctic). Greenland sleeper sharks are on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.Photo by: Doug Perrine, SeaPics.com
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Greenland sleeper shark
Greenland sleeper shark
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| Unusual-looking, highly pronounced dorsal fins, plush-appearing body
llustrations by R. Aidan Martin
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Characteristics of the Dogfish Sharks
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# of Species
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119
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Body shape
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Rounded; varied according to species
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Mouth position
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Underneath
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Anal fin
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No
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Dorsal Fin
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2
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Fin spines
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Yes
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# of Gill slits
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5
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Reproduction
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Ovoviviparous (eggs develop in the mother’s body and are born alive).
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Unique qualities
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Many bioluminescent
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Habitat
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Marine; most species bottom oriented. Widely diversified and wide-ranging, dogfish sharks are in coastal and oceanic waters, from cool temperate to deep tropical waters
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Food
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Diverse as are the species. Range from boney fishes, crustacea, to marine mammals
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Comparison of the Families of Dogfish Sharks
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Family
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Dogfish
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Gulper
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Lantern
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Angular
Roughshark
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Sleeper
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Kitefin
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Squalidae
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Centrophoridae
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Etmopteridae
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Oxynotidae
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Somniosidae
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Dalatiidae
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# of species
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20
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15
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51
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5
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18
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10
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Dorsal fin
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smooth spine
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grooved spine
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very high dorsal
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deeply imbedded spine
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small dorsals, grooved spines
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small dorsals, no spine
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Unusual qualities
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upper & lower teeth equal size
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lower teeth noticably larger than upper
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luminous patterns
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body high, triangular; rough, large dentricles
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mall pectoral, pelvic, and dorsal fins
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large eyes
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Includes
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Spiny dogfish, Mandarin dogfish
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Gulper, Birdbeak dogfish
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Lantern sharks
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Roughsharks
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Portuguese, Sleeper shark
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Kitefin, Cookie-cutter, Pygmy
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The 128 Species of Dogfish sharks
Red indicates inclusion on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
Family Squalidae - Dogfish Sharks - 20 species
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Species
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Common name
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Genus Cirrhigaleus
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Cirrhigaleus asper
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Roughskin Spurdog
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Cirrhigaleus barbifer
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Mandarin Dogfish
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Genus Squalus
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Squalus acanthias
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Spiny Dogfish
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Squalus blainvillei
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Longnose Spurdog
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Squalus brevirostris
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Japanese Shortnose Spurdog
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Squalus cubensis
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Cuban Dogfish
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Squalus grahami (Squalus sp. F)
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Eastern Longnose Spurdog
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Squalus japonicus
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Japanese Spurdog
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Squalus lalannei
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Seychelles Spurdog
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Squalus megalops
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Shortnose Spurdog
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Squalus melanurus
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Blacktail Spurdog
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Squalus mitsukurii
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Shortspine Spurdog
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Squalus probatovi
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Angola Dogfish
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Squalus rancureli
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Cyrano Spurdog
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Squalus sp. A
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Bartail Spurdog
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Squalus sp. B
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Eastern Highfin Spurdog
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Squalus sp. C
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Western Highfin Spurdog
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Squalus sp. D
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Fatspine Spurdog
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Squalus sp. E
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Western Longnose Spurdog
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Squalus sp. G
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Philippines Longnose Spurdog
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Family Centrophoridae - Gulper Sharks - 15 species
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Species
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Common name
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Genus Centrophorus
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Centrophorus acus
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Needle Dogfish
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Centrophorus atromarginatus
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Dwarf Gulper Shark
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Centophorus granulosus
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Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus harrissoni
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Harrison's Dogfish, Dumb Gulper Shark,
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Centrophorus isodon
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Blackfin Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus lusitanicus
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Lowfin Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus moluccensis
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Smallfin Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus niaukang
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Taiwan Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus sechellorum
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Seychelles Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus squamosus
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Leafscale Gulper Shark, Deepwater Spiny Dogfish
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Centrophorus tessellatus
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Mosaic Gulper Shark
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Centrophorus sp. A
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New Caledonian Gulper Shark
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Genus Deania
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Deania calcea
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Birdbeak Dogfish
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Deania hystricosum
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Rough Longnose Dogfish
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Deania profundorum
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Arrowhead Dogfish
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Deania quadrispinosum
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Longsnout Dogfish
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Family Etmopteridae - Lantern Sharks - 51 species
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Species
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Common name
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Genus Aculeola
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Aculeola nigra
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Hooktooth Dogfish
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Genus Centroscyllium
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Centroscyllium excelsum
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Highfin Dogfish
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Centroscyllium fabricii
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Black Dogfish
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Centroscyllium granulatum
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Granular Dogfish
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Centroscyllium kamoharai
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Bareskin Dogfish
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Centroscyllium nigrum
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Combtooth Dogfish
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Centroscyllium ornatum
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Ornate Dogfish
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Centroscyllium ritteri
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Whitefin Dogfish
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Genus Etmopterus
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Etmopterus baxteri
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New Zealand Lanternshark
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Etmopterus bigelowi
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Blurred Smooth Lanternshark
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Etmopterus brachyurus
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Shorttail Lanternshark
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Etmopterus bullisi
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Lined Lanternshark
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Etmopterus burgessi
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Taiwan Lanternshark
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Etmopterus carteri
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Cylindrical Lanternshark
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Etmopterus caudistigmus
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Tailspot Lanternshark
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Etmopterus compagnoi
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Brown Lanternshark
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Etmopterus decacuspidatus
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Combtooth Lanternshark
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Etmopterus dianthus
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Pink Lanternshark
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Etmopterus dislineatus
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Lined Lanternshark
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Etmopterus evansi
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Blackmouth Lanternshark
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Etmopterus fuscus
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Pygmy Lanternshark
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Etmopterus gracilispinis
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Broadband Lanternshark
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Etmopterus granulosus
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Southern Lanternshark
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Etmopterus hillianus
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Caribbean Lanternshark
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Etmopterus litvinovi
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Smalleye Lanternshark
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Etmopterus lucifer
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Blackbelly Lanternshark
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Etmopterus molleri
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Slendertail Lanternshark
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Etmopterus perryi
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Dwarf Lanternshark
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Etmopterus polli
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African Lanternshark
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Etmopterus princeps
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Great Lanternshark
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Etmopterus pseudosqualiolus
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False Pygmy Shark
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Etmopterus pusillus
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Smooth Lanternshark
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Etmopterus pycnolepis
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Densescale Lanternshark
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Etmopterus robinsi
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West Indian Lanternshark
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Etmopterus schmidti
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Darkbelly Lanternshark
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Etmopterus schultzi
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Fringefin Lanternshark
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Etmopterus sentosus
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Thorny Lanternshark
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Etmopterus spinax
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Velvet Belly
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Etmopterus splendidus
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Splendid Lanternshark
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Etmopterus tasmaniensis
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Tasmanian Lanternshark
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Etmopterus unicolor
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Brown Lanternshark
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Etmopterus villosus
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Hawaiian Lanternshark
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Etmopterus virens
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Green Lanternshark
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Etmopterus sp. B
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Bristled Lanternshark
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Etmopterus sp.
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Guadalupe Lanternshark
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Etmopterus sp.
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Chillean Lanternshark
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Etmopterus sp. near brachyurus
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Sculpted Lanternshark (southern Africa)
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Etmopterus sp. near princeps
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(Inaccessible Island)
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Etmopterus sp. near baxteri
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Giant Lanternshark (southern Africa)
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Genus Miroscyllium
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Miroscyllium skeiko
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Rasptooth Dogfish
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Genus Trigonognathus
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Trigonognathus kabeyai
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Viper Dogfish
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Family Somniosidae - Sleeper Sharks - 18 species
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Species
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Common name
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Genus Centroscymnus
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Centroscymnus coelolepis
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Portuguese Dogfish
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Centroscymnus owstoni
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Roughskin Dogfish
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Genus Centroselachus
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Centroselachus crepidator
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Longnose Velvet Dogfish
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Genus Proscymnodon
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Proscymnodon macracanthus
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Largespine Velvet Dogfish
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Proscymnodon plunketi
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Plunket Shark
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Genus Scymnodalatias
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Scymnodalatias albicauda
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Whitetail Dogfish
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Scymnodalatias garricki
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Azores Dogfish
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Scymnodalatias oligodon
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Sparsetooth Dogfish
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Scymnodalatias sherwoodi
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Sherwood Dogfish
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Genus Scymnodon
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Scymnodon ringens
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Knifetooth Dogfish
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Genus Somniosus
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Somniosus antarcticus
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Southern Sleeper Shark
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Somniosus longus
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Frog Shark
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Somniosus microcephalus
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Greenland Shark
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Somniosus pacificus
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Pacific Sleeper Shark
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Somniosus rostratus
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Little Sleeper Shark
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Somniosus sp?
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Longnose Sleeper Shark
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Genus Zameus
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Zameus ichiharai
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Japanese Velvet Dogfish
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Zameus squamulosus
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Velvet Dogfish
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Family Oxynotidae - Rough Sharks - 5 species
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Species
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Common name
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Genus Oxynotus
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Oxynotus bruniensis
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Prickly Dogfish
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Oxynotus caribbaeus
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Caribbean Roughshark
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Oxynotus centrina
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Angular Roughshark
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Oxynotus japonicus
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Japanese Roughshark
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| Oxynotus paradoxus |
Sailfin Roughshark
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Family Dalatiidae - Kitefin Sharks - 10 species
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Genus Dalatias
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Dalatias licha
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Kitefin Shark
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Genus Euprotomicroides
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Euprotomicroides zantedeschia
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Taillight Shark
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Genus Euprotomicrus
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Euprotomicrus bispinatus
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Pygmy Shark
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Genus Heteroscymnoides
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Heteroscymnoides marleyi
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Longnose Pygmy Shark
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Genus Isistius
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Isistius brasiliensis
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Cookiecutter Shark
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Isistius labialis
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South China Cookiecutter Shark
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Isistius plutodus
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Largetooth Cookie Cutter Shark
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Genus Mollisquama
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Mollisquama parini
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Pocket Shark
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Genus Squaliolus
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Squaliolus aliae
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Smalleye Pygmy Shark
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Squaliolus laticaudus
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Spined Pygmy Shark
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