Rough longnose dogfish facts for kids
The rough longnose dogfish (Deania hystricosa) is a type of small, deep-sea shark. It is not seen very often. This shark was first described by a scientist named Samuel Garman in 1906. He originally gave it the name Acanthidium hystricosa.
Quick facts for kids Rough longnose dogfish |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Deania
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| Species: |
hystricosa
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| Range of rough longnose dogfish (in blue) | |
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The rough longnose dogfish has a very long nose, like a snout. It does not have an anal fin (a fin on its underside near its tail). It has small, grooved spines on its back, near its dorsal fins. Its skin feels rough because it is covered in special scales called dermal denticles. These denticles look a bit like tiny pitchforks. The first dorsal fin on its back is long and thin.
Where Does It Live?
This shark can grow up to about 109 centimeters long. That's a bit over 3.5 feet! It lives in the deep parts of the ocean, usually between 600 and 1,000 meters (about 2,000 to 3,300 feet) below the surface.
You can find the rough longnose dogfish in two main areas:
- The eastern Atlantic Ocean, especially around the Madeira Islands.
- The western Pacific Ocean, near southern Japan.
How Does It Reproduce?
The rough longnose dogfish is ovoviviparous. This means that the mother shark carries her eggs inside her body. The baby sharks hatch from the eggs while still inside the mother. Then, they are born alive. Scientists think that a mother rough longnose dogfish probably has about 12 pups (baby sharks) in each litter.
Why Is It 'Data Deficient'?
In June 2018, the Department of Conservation in New Zealand looked at the rough longnose shark. They classified it as "Data Deficient." This means that scientists do not have enough information or data about this shark to know if its population is healthy or if it is in danger. More research is needed to understand this deep-sea creature better.
See also
- In Spanish: Quelvacho hocicudo para niños
