Taxonomic Reevaluation of the Spiny Dogfish ( Squalus acanthias L.) in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Authors: Jones, Barry C., Geen, Glen H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1976
• Subjects: General Medicine; Pacific; spiny dogfish; Squalus acanthias
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f76-295; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f76-295

Morphometric ratios, vertebral counts, and electrophoretic analyses of spiny dogfish from east and west coasts of North America indicate that those in the northeastern Pacific Ocean comprise one of several discontinuous stocks of the cosmopolitan species Squalus acanthias L. Though the individual stocks exhibit statistically significant differences in meristic and biochemical characteristics, available data do not support subspecific status for any of the groups around the Americas. The inadequacy of certain morphometric data to distinguish between Squalus species is also discussed.