BODY PLAN
The body of a dogfish was built for fast, long distance swimming. Their dorsal side is gray, and they have a white ventral side; this color dynamic has provided the sharks with a type of camouflage. The sharks have a line made up of pores leading to receptors sensitive to movement and pressure, a.k.a. a lateral line. Their anterior dorsal fins are larger than the posterior ones, and the pectoral fins are used to keep the shark from sinking. The rostrum, a pointed snout, helps the shark overcome water resistence. The nostrils are on the underside of the rostrum, and its mouth its mouth is located under the nostrils with 7 rows of teeth.
Humans and Dogfish sharks surprisingly have some similarites. Like humans, dogfish have a spleen, a stomach, an esophagus, a gall bladder, a pancreas and a spleen. But the sharks do have some organs of their own. For example, dogfish sharks have a spiral valve, a cloaca, and a mesentery. The spiral valve adds extra surface area for absorption and digestion. The cloaca collects the products of the colon and urogential ducts and expels them through the cloacal opening. The mesentery is a tissue that anchors organs to the body wall.
Humans and Dogfish sharks surprisingly have some similarites. Like humans, dogfish have a spleen, a stomach, an esophagus, a gall bladder, a pancreas and a spleen. But the sharks do have some organs of their own. For example, dogfish sharks have a spiral valve, a cloaca, and a mesentery. The spiral valve adds extra surface area for absorption and digestion. The cloaca collects the products of the colon and urogential ducts and expels them through the cloacal opening. The mesentery is a tissue that anchors organs to the body wall.
BEHAVIOR
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Dogfish sharks are not considered to be dangerous predators. In fact, they are extremely social and travel in schools of sometimes hundreds to even thousands. The sharks usually travel, hunt, and migrate within these schools and stay in areas with a temperate of 45°F to 59°F. They can most commonly be found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. Pacts of sharks are segregated by males, females, and pregnant females.
*To the left is a map of where the sharks are most commonly found and there migration route
*To the left is a map of where the sharks are most commonly found and there migration route
LIFE CYCLE
1) The egg is fertilized
2) The egg hatches inside the mother's body
3) The pup is born
4) The pup swims away without any care from the mother (no feeding or protection) and begins to take care of itself
5) The pup grows up into an adult shark
Then the process is repeated all over again.
2) The egg hatches inside the mother's body
3) The pup is born
4) The pup swims away without any care from the mother (no feeding or protection) and begins to take care of itself
5) The pup grows up into an adult shark
Then the process is repeated all over again.
LIFE SPAN
Dogfish sharks usually have a life span of 25-100 years. About 2-11 pups are in each litter and they're between 8-12 inches in size. Male dogfish reach maturity at 11 years, while female dogfish reach maturity at 19-20 years.
ADAPTATIONS
These dogfish sharks have developed nervous systems in the center of their large brain, connected to two lobes of the cerebrum. The olfactory bulbs in the interior part of the brain are used for sense of smell, the cerebellum coordinates body movements, and their eyes are capable of color vision. Specialized cells called chemoreceptors detect particular ions and molecules to enhance the sense of taste and smell. Finally they have also developed a lateral line system, which is made of sensitive receptors that detect currents and vibrations in the water, helping them sense prey. These sharks have adapted to detect low electric currents as well as to be able to move rapidly in order to obtain their prey.
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
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The shark has sharp spines in front of the dorsal fins that can be used defensively. It curls its body, exposing the spine and thrusting at the attacker. They curl their spines around into a bow and strike the enemy. The spines are also thought to be poisonous. The dogfish also has extremely sensitive hearing that can identify much lower sounds than human ears can detect, and can hear more than 700 feet away. This can help the shark by allowing them to avoid predators. The sharks also have remarkable sense of smell that can help them track a trail of food particles, and help them identify a predator nearby.