These tiny sharks are really interesting specimens. They may be somewhat common in oceans around the world, but they are anything but mundane. With their sleek and classic shark look, they usually hang out in groups—hence the name “dogfish,” like a pack of dogs. They’re not huge, usually a few feet long, and they eat smaller fish, crustaceans, and whatever else they can find on the sea floor.

Speaking of their chompers, the dogfish has pretty interesting teeth. They’re small, kind of flat, and arranged in rows—perfect for gripping and tearing rather than chewing. Unlike the big, dramatic teeth you see on great white sharks, dogfish teeth are more subtle but still sharp. They're designed to hold onto slippery prey like fish and squid. And, like other sharks, they are constantly losing and growing teeth in a near-endless conveyor belt of dentition production.

While they may not be the next star of a Jaws movie, they are fascinating specimens of a tenacious tiny variety.

Sourcing: 

Commercial fishing boats here on the East Coast catch adult dogfish for meat that is sent to restaurants. The baby Dogfish often times are caught as bycatch (already deceased) on these boats. Subsequently they get immediately sent to the landfill. Instead of discarding them, our harvesters save them aside for our business. This is a long standing fishing industry that is regulated very closely by the NOAA. They constantly monitor population levels and change quotas for the harvesters to ensure the industry is not overfished.