User:Keller SM/Japanese spurdog

Lead
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, leading to population declines.

Description
Males measure 50 to 70 cm long in adulthood, while females measure 56 to 80 cm long.(Rigby) Females are also higher in weight than males.(Yano) They have 25 to 27 teeth on their upper jaw and 20 to 24 teeth on their lower jaw.(Ebert)

Reproduction
They are viviparous, giving birth to between 2 and 8 pups each litter. The pups are 19 to 30 cm long at birth. Gestation is 11 to 12 months and they reproduce annually. A study in the East China Sea found an equal sex ratio of both embryos and adults.