Home · Centrophoridae · Arrowspine dogfish
Arrowspine dogfish (Centrophorus moluccensis) — Centrophoridae

Arrowspine dogfish

Centrophorus moluccensis
VU · Vulnerable

The Arrowspine dogfish (Centrophorus moluccensis) is a saltwater fish of the family Centrophoridae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
125.0–823.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The smallfin gulper shark is a deepwater shark (Centrophoridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a slender, grey-brown body, large green eyes and a sturdy spine in front of each of the two dorsal fins. It lives near the bottom on the outer continental shelf and the upper slope in deeper water. As a predator it hunts bony fishes, squid and crustaceans. It is vulnerable to overfishing through its slow reproduction. When handled, the fin spines, the rough skin and the teeth can cause injuries.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Arrowspine dogfish?

The Arrowspine dogfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Arrowspine dogfish live?

The Arrowspine dogfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Arrowspine dogfish get?

The Arrowspine dogfish grows to a maximum of about 100 cm.

Is the Arrowspine dogfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Arrowspine dogfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Arrowspine dogfish edible?

Yes, the Arrowspine dogfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kleinvinzwelghaai sourced
English name
Arrowspine dogfish verified
Scientific name
Centrophorus moluccensis
Family
Centrophoridae
Other names
Dogshark; Endeavour dogfish; Smallfin gulper shark verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Crescent (lunate) inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
125.0 verified
Max depth (m)
823.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Centrophorus

More from the family Centrophoridae

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