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Edmund’s spurdog

6/24/2019

 
Picture
Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection.
There is one drawback to showcasing diverse Chondrichthyans (those are the sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras)… for those less charismatic ones, there isn’t a lot of research done on them! This is the case for this shark, Edmund's spurdog (Squalus edmundsi). 
​Edmund’s spurdog is a dogfish described by researchers in 2007. Like other dogfish, they are a member of the Squalidae family! Found in the waters around Asia and Oceania (e.g. Australia and New Zealand) in the Pacific, their genus name squalus comes from the Latin word that means “shark.” Edmundsi comes from the man this shark was named after, Matthew Edmunds. He was with the CSIRO Marine Laboratory in the 1990’s!
 
A pelagic animal, they are known to swim from 200 metres down to a little bit less than 900 metres… aka this is a cold, dark, deep area of our oceans to hang around in! The length of the longest specimen measured in at 115 cm; males mature at around 54 cm total length (TL). Like other dogfish, they have a long body with a narrow, triangular snout and they sport nasal flaps! These sharks can also pack a punch, as both dorsal fins have spines in front of those fins. They have a dark caudal bar through the base of their lower caudal fin lobe, too.
 
Also known as the Western Highfin Spurdog, they are viviparous (aplacental) species and only produce 5-6 pups in each litter. According to the IUCN, they suspect their populations have gone down as they are frequent bycatch of demersal longline fisheries that operate in the deepwater in their home range. They don’t go to waste, though, as their meat, fins, and liver oil are worth a pretty penny and are used. Due to this, they have assessed this critter as Near Threatened (NT).


WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

  • Artisanal fishery: There is, as yet, no universally-accepted definition; the term is used interchangeably with ‘small scale fishery.’ In general, artisanal fishing will be family-based, employing small or no boats and simple and/or traditional methods.
  • Bycatch: The part of a fishery’s catch that is made up of non-target species.  
  • Commercial fishery: The activity of catching fish and other seafood for profit.​
  • IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​​

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    Author

    TFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments.
    ​
    A proud #LatinainSTEM, Marquez is a marine biologist who focuses on shark habitat use and movements; she is also a science communicator (follow her on Twitter) who focuses on diverse Chondrichthyan education and who focuses on the media coverage of sharks.
    You can learn more about her on her website.

    SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:

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  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact