Not just Shark
Pictures: Elasmodiver contains photos of sharks, skates, rays, and
chimaera's from around the world. It began as a simple web based
field guide to help divers find the best places to encounter
different species of sharks and rays but it has slowly evolved into
a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark
diving and photography. There are now more than a thousand shark
pictures and sections on shark evolution, biology, and
conservation. There is a large library of reviewed shark books, a
constantly outdated shark taxonomy page, a monster list of shark
links, and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and
stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is now so difficult to
check for updates, that new information and pictures are listed on
an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be accessed here:
If you're looking
for a broader range of marine life pictures the following links
represent a new area of elasmodiver.com that contains pictures of
other marine organisms and of marine habitats. This expansion of
Elasmodiver is in its first stages but will eventually include pages
on all types of marine mammals, bony fishes and marine invertebrates
as well as coastal habitats, reefscapes and other imagess relating
to the ocean. Please return regularly to enjoy the progress.
Identification:
Slender body. Dordal fin origin level with pectoral
fin insertion. Caudal fin unnotched. Anal fin absent. Dorsal fin tips dusky or
black. Fin spines long (extending almost to apex). White margin on trailing edge
of all fins (more obvious on caudal and pectoral fins). Eyes large and green
with golden rims (eyelids). Dorsal fins relatively low.
Dorsal coloration grey to brown above without markings. Ventral coloration pale.
Size:
Maximum length 110cm. size at birth 22-33 cm.
Habitat:
Rocky slopes from 60 to at least 380m. Recent long-lining surveys in Cape
Eleuthera indicate that Cuban dogfish may inhabit considerably deeper depths.
Abundance and distribution:
The Cuban dogfish is restricted to two main groups in the western Atlantic. In
the northern hemisphere it has been recorded in the USA and Mexico (including
much of the Gulf of Mexico), Bahamas and the Caribbean chain as far south as
Venezuela. In the southern hemisphere it can be found in southern Brazil and
Argentina.
Conservation Status: Data Deficient according
to the IUCN. However, data deficient simply implies that not enough scientific
studies or fisheries data has been collected to make a valid judgment on the
state of this species. The IUCN Red List does state that "Mainly caught in
the northern Gulf of Mexico (FAO 2002, Rodriguez 1996 ) although separate
statistics are not reported for this species. Taken as by-catch in the San
Andres Archipelago industrial fishery (Caldas 2002) and Panamanian artisanal
fishery (Monzini 2004). Possible threat from a potential increase of deep sea
fishery".
Behavior:
Forms dense schools.
Diet: Feeds
on benthic fishes and invertebrates. Tagged specimens were caught on a variety
of baits including cobia, bonito and shark.
Reproduction: Ovoviviparous.
Litter size up to 10.
Photographs:
Exuma Sound, Bahamas. Images were taken with the help of Dr Edd Brooks from the
Cape Eleuthera Institute. Edd is in charge of the shark monitoring program.
Similar species:
Sometimes confused with the shortspine spurdog (Squalus mitsukurii) which
has less distinct dusky fin tips, more angular fins and a longer snout.
Reaction to divers:
Cuban dogfish inhabit water too deep to be encountered by divers. Captured
specimens showed no aggressive behaviour.
