Usually, when people talk about sharks, their dangerous jaws and large size immediately come to mind. But among these representatives there is a katran shark, which is not dangerous to humans. What kind of fish is this?
Shark Description
Immediately it should be noted that this marine inhabitant has other names: “button”, “dog shark”, “sea dog”, “prickly shark”. Compared to other toothy relatives, it has a small body size, usually does not exceed 1.5 meters. These representatives are also cartilaginous. But many are interested in knowing what a sea dog looks like. Her body seems elongated, spindle-shaped. The color of the katran is also “classic”: gray or brown with a light belly. Some individuals have speckled sides. The tail fin is quite powerful. This fish has its own difference - at the base of each dorsal fin there is a sharp spike. By the way, that is why it is sometimes called the "spiny shark." At the bottom of the head there is a large transverse mouth. The body is covered with scales similar to chain mail, it was this feature that became fatal for this fish.
Sturdy Hide
For many years, the katran was hunted mainly forfor skins. Scale plates, covering the entire body, have small, almost imperceptible spines. If you run your hand over the body of the fish, it will seem tender and smooth, but as soon as you start to lead against the scales, you can get hurt badly. Feeling very painful.
If the skin of the katran is damaged, it will heal very quickly, and new scales will grow in this place. Since the sea dog can hurt, the fishermen handled it carefully. Previously, mittens were made from the skin of fish, which were intended for grinding wood and precious metals. Blacksmiths also wore aprons made of such a skin to protect themselves from injury at work. Some worked stones with it.
Where lives
Most of all these representatives can be found in the waters of the Black Sea. But we can safely say that these are also fish of the Mediterranean, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In addition, katrans swim in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. Some met the sea dog in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.
Shark life
It was not for nothing that it was noted that the katrans prefer to live in the Black Sea. These conditions are protection for them, since other sharks will not swim here because of the composition of the water, lack of food, and cold. But the sea dog was able to adapt to such a life. The fish feels good at a temperature of 7 - 14 degrees, so it is almost impossible to meet it off the coast. In shallow water, it enters only in autumn or spring, when hydrogen sulfide rises from the depths. The fish hibernates at a depth of one hundred meters. They keep in their flocks and try not to intersect with other "families".
They have a good appetite, and often they steal the catch of horse mackerel and anchovy, which are still in the nets. Sometimes they hunt for "Azov", but infrequently, because these dolphins are still large for them. The fish of the Mediterranean and the two oceans are in danger of being caught in nets or eaten by sea dogs. And in some countries, a reward is given for the capture of katrans thieves. But now the Northeast Atlantic has decided to ban the capture of spiny sharks, as their species is endangered.
Mating season
The sea dog may surprise you, because it reaches sexual maturity at the end of life, at 13 - 17 years. Males are ready for mating games by the age of 11. The mating period begins at the end of April at a depth of 50 - 100 meters. The duration of pregnancy of katrans lasts from 1.5 to 2 years. There are usually about 15 fry in the womb of a female. The children who were born immediately begin to show their predatory disposition. They prey on fry of other fish and love small shrimp.
Is katran dangerous for humans
There are myths among naive residents that the sharp appendages on the back of a shark are poisonous and can even kill. In fact, the spikes are not filled with poison, but are simply covered with mucus. But do not relax, because if the katran injures you with its thorn, this mucus in which bacteria live will get into the wound and inflammation will begin. Often there is a scar. Alsosea dog is not dangerous if considered as a predator. In the entire history, there has not been a single case of a katran attack on a person.
