The Small-spotted Catshark, Lesser Spotted Dogfish, scientifically known as Scyliorhinus canicula, is a small, common shark found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Description & Characteristics
This species, Scyliorhinus canicula, is easily identified by its distinctive dorsal coloration. It has a light brown to grey background, adorned with numerous small, dark brown spots that give it its name. These spots are irregularly shaped and scattered across its body, even on its fins. The Small-spotted Catshark, Lesser Spotted Dogfish can reach a maximum size of 100.0 cm in length, making it a relatively small shark species. Its body is slender and elongated, with a pointed snout and large, oval-shaped eyes. Like other catsharks, Scyliorhinus canicula has two dorsal fins, both of which are positioned towards the rear of its body.
Habitat and Occurrence
The Small-spotted Catshark, Lesser Spotted Dogfish is a demersal species, meaning it typically lives on or near the seabed. It is found in a wide range of depths, from 10.0 meters to 780.0 meters, making it adaptable to various marine environments. Its distribution includes the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, from Iceland and Norway to the Mediterranean Sea. This geographic range encompasses several marine zones, including the epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic zones. Scyliorhinus canicula is most common in the coastal areas of the northeastern Atlantic, particularly in the English Channel and the Celtic Sea.
Taxonomy
The species Scyliorhinus canicula belongs to the Class: Elasmobranchii, Order: Carcharhiniformes, and Family: Scyliorhinidae. This family is characterized by its members’ slender bodies and typically small size. The order Carcharhiniformes encompasses a vast array of sharks, including the well-known hammerhead sharks and requiem sharks. Elasmobranchii is the class that includes all sharks, rays, and skates, making it one of the most diverse groups of fish.
Feeding
The Small-spotted Catshark, Lesser Spotted Dogfish is a carnivorous predator. Its diet consists of a variety of marine invertebrates and fish, including clams, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, and even small fish like sardines, herring, and anchovies. This species is known to be opportunistic and will scavenge on carrion, supplementing its diet with dead animals it finds on the seabed. Scyliorhinus canicula plays an important role in the marine ecosystem by controlling populations of invertebrates and small fish.
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