Black Dogfish, Centroscyllium fabricii

Black Dogfish, Centroscyllium fabricii

This shark is small and slender, rarely reaching a length of over 80 cm. It has two dorsal fins each with a spine at its base, the first of which is larger. The caudal fin is deeply lobed, with the upper lobe twice the length of the lower. The pelvic fins are positioned underneath the body, and the pectoral fins are approximately the same size as the first dorsal fin and located well ahead of it. The five short gill slits are all in front of the base of the pectoral fin. The absence of an anal fin distinguishes the black dogfish from other sharks. Its deep brown to black colour is another distinguishing feature. Recently, the presence of luminescent organs in its skin has come to light.

The black dogfish is found on both sides of the North Atlantic, off western Greenland and Iceland. Reports of this fish in the northern Pacific and Japan have not yet been confirmed. It also inhabits most of the waters along the West African coastline, from Guinea to South Africa, where it prefers the continental shelves at depths of up to 275 m.

During the summer, they are generally caught at extreme depths but occur near the surface in the winter. These sharks feed on squid, crustaceans, and jellyfish.