spiny dogfish

noun

: any of various dogfishes constituting the family Squalidae and distinguished by the presence of a spine in or immediately anterior to each dorsal fin: such as

a

: a common very destructive dogfish (Squalus acanthias) of both coasts of the North Atlantic that becomes about four feet long and has the fin spines stout and prominent

b

: a similar dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) of the Pacific coast of North America

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