One of the highlights of Shark Week at the Science Mill were the Dogfish Dissections!

Science Mill STEM Education Specialists conducted several dissections throughout the week to give guests a close look into the anatomy of a dogfish shark. Here are some of the questions visitors asked about dogfish sharks during these sessions — and the answers!

WARNING: This post includes photos and videos of the dissection that some readers may be sensitive to!

1. WHY ARE THEY CALLED “DOGFISH”?

   Dogfish sharks get their name not because they are related to or resemble dogs in any way. Rather, they were named as such because they hunt in packs, as dogs do! To satisfy their voracious appetites, dogfish sharks tend to hunt for food in groups that can number in the thousands to feed on anything in their way, like octopus, shrimp, crabs, and even fish that can be two or three times larger than them.

2. JUST KEEP SWIMMING - BUT HOW?

   Most fish have a special organ called a swim bladder which helps them maintain buoyancy without exerting extra energy. Sharks, however, don't have swim bladders; rather, they use oil produced by their livers to control their buoyancy. Proportionally, shark livers can make up 5-25% of the shark’s body weight — in comparison, human livers only take up 2% of the total human body weight!

3. HOW DO DOGFISH SHARKS HUNT FOR PREY?

   One trait that makes sharks apex predators is their ability to detect electricity in the water through their electroreceptors. The muscular movement and twitching that fish and other living organisms make generate electricity, and sharks are able to sense this through their specialized organ.

4. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE DOGFISH SHARKS?

   Generally, female sharks tend to be larger than male sharks. But another way to tell is by checking if the shark has claspers, which is a pair of organs near the pelvic fin that is used during mating.

5. ARE DOGFISH SHARKS ENDANGERED?

   While dogfish sharks can be found in most waters around the world, they are also some of the most heavily fished sharks. This is because they serve as a source of meat (often used in fish and chips in the UK and in shark fin soup), liver oil, fertilizer, and fish food.

Watch the full dissection below!