Smooth Dogfish Shark

Overview - While the smooth dogfish prefers shallow water, it has been found at depths up to 650 feet below the surface. The shark is one of several known dogfish, a name resulting from the fact that this type of fish has a tendency to attack prey as a pack, similar to how dogs travel in packs. Smooth dogfish are often on the go. As a migratory species, they spend much of their time moving north to south, and back again, across their western Atlantic Ocean range.

Feeding Habits - The smooth dogfish is fairly small for a shark, measuring around 60 inches long with a narrow body. This species, however, is built to eat. Its flat, blunt teeth can bite down on even the hardest of prey, such as crabs and lobster. As a scavenger and opportunistic feeder, the shark also takes advantage of less impressive, yet nutritious, food sources, including mollusks, small shrimp, worms and almost anything edible that may wind up in its mouth.

Cool Fact - Smooth dogfish can change their color from dark to light, to camouflage themselves from predators.

Depth - 60 feet