Common Name
Birdbeak Dogfish
Year Described
Lowe, 1839
Identification
Body moderately slender with a very long, flattened snout and narrow mouth. There are two dorsal fins with the second larger in size and taller. Both possess a grooved spine on the anterior margin. The second dorsal spine is longer. Origin of the first dorsal is well posterior to free margin of pectoral fin. Snout length is longer than mouth width. Anterior nasal flap is short. Teeth in lower jaw are broader than upper and lack cusplets. Tooth rows: upper: 26-31 rows; lower: 26-30 rows. The five gill slits are equal in size. Pectoral fin small with a pointed free edge. Anal fin is absent. Pelvic fins set far back on body, under second dorsal origin. The caudal fin is long with a well-developed sub-terminal notch and a poorly developed ventral lobe. Caudal peduncle lacks ventral keel. Eye is large. Skin is fairly smooth with small denticles (tricuspidate, stellate bases, high pedicels).
Color
Dark brown with a lighter belly.
Size
Maximum size to 120cm TL.
Habitat
Fairly deep water from 400-900m. Appears to feed in midwater.
Range
Off Virginia and Florida.
References
Castro, J.I. 2011. The Sharks of North America. Oxford University Press, 640 pp.
Compagno, L., M. Dando, and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the World. Princeton University Press, 480 pp.