Eastern Highfin Spurdog

This large species belonging to the 'highfin megalops group' has the following set of characters: abdomen depth 10.4-12.6% TL; pre-vent length 46.9-48.1% TL, 2.0-2.2 times dorsal caudal margin; pre-second dorsal length 3.7-4.3 times the pectoral-fin anterior margin, 2.5-2.8 times dorsal caudal margin; head width 1.0-1.4 times abdomen width; preoral length 2.9-3.1 times horizontal prenarial length, 8.4-9.1% TL; head length 4.3-4.9 times its eye length; mouth width 3.3-4.1 times length of upper labial furrow; interorbital width 1.5-1.7 times the horizontal preorbital length; fifth gill slit height 2.1-2.5% TL; strongly bifurcated anterior nasal flap; first dorsal fin upright, upper posterior margin directed posteroventrally, greatest concavity about midway between free rear tip and fin apex; posterior margin of second dorsal fin deeply concave; second dorsal-fin spine with a broad base; pectoral fin of adult not falcate, anterior margin long, 14.2-15.8% TL; dorsal surface dark, sharply demarcated from paler ventral surface on side of head; dorsal fins are dark with obvious darker tips; first dorsal-fin spine distinctly paler than the base of soft portion of dorsal fin; caudal fin with broad white posterior margin, caudal bar absent; flank denticles weakly tricuspid; monospondylous centra 44-46, precaudal centra 89-93, total centra 116-122 (Ref. 58440).

Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Squalus albifrons, the eastern highfin spurdog, is a dogfish described in 2007. It is a member of the family Squalidae, found on the continental shelf off Queensland, Australia, at depths between 220 and 510 m. The length of the longest specimen measured is 65 cm (26 in). Its reproduction is ovoviviparous.