Spotted ratfish [Galeorhinus galeus]
Description
The Spotted ratfish is a species of houndshark, family Triakidae, found globally in temperate and tropical seas. It prefers to live on the continental shelf, from the surf line to a depth of 900 meters. It is characterized by a grey or brown body, with a white underbelly and black spots on its back and sides. It can grow up to 1.5 meters in length and has a diet that mainly consists of marine invertebrates and small fish. The Spotted ratfish is ovoviviparous, with females giving birth to live pups after a gestation period of about a year.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Flatworms
Platyhelminthes
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Cestoda
Cestoda
|
| Order |
Proteocephalidea
Proteocephalidea
|
| Family |
Gangesiids
Gangesiidae
|
| Genus |
Galeorhynchus
Galeorhynchus
|