Japanese spurdog
| Japanese spurdog | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Division: | Selachii |
| Order: | Squaliformes |
| Family: | Squalidae |
| Genus: | Squalus |
| Species: | S. japonicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Squalus japonicus Ishikawa, 1908 | |
| Range of the Japanese spurdog (in blue) | |
The Japanese spurdog (Squalus japonicus) is a dogfish, a member of the family Squalidae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean – southeastern Japan and the East China Sea, including the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and the Arafura Sea. It occurs in temperate and tropical waters along the continental shelf and slopes and primarily feeds on teleost fish and squid. It is caught as bycatch in commercial fishing, which has caused populations to decline.