Katran is another representative of the shark family. This species has many other names: barbed shark, dog shark, marigold, short-haired shark, etc.
Among all types of sharks, katrans are the most common on the territory of the sea expanses of Russia. These fish can be observed in the Black, Baltic and Azov seas.
But after learning this information, you should not cancel a trip to the sea: katrans are completely safe for people, they are not interested in us as food.
Therefore, scientists assure that even a close proximity with a katran will not cause harm, the main thing is not to touch the shark or take it in your arms, if you are not a zoologist.
What does a katran shark look like?
The body of this small shark is elongated, like all of its relatives in the family. Katrans do not exceed two meters in length, however, such sizes are extremely rare: usually, the length of a shark ranges from 1 to 1.2 meters. The weight that individuals of this species can reach does not exceed 20 kilograms.
The average length of the katran is up to 1.2 meters. Katrana are painted in grayish shades, the abdominal region is always light or pure white. The main feature of these sharks is considered to be thorny thorns. It is because of them that scientists do not advise taking sharks in their arms. With its thorns, the katran defends itself from attacks. If a person stumbles upon such a thorn, then the wound will hurt, because the mucus at the end of the thorn is poisonous. But you should not be afraid: this poison is not fatal for a person, you just need to quickly disinfect the wound.
Where does katran live
The habitat of this shark is very wide. It is found in all oceans, although it is most abundant in cool and temperate zones. Katrans cannot stand the sultry heat, but icy waters are also not for them, because they cannot be found above Scandinavia.
The spiny shark lives at a depth of 15 to 100 meters. At night it can rise to the surface. When winter comes in the region of her residence, the katran sinks to a depth of 300 meters.
Katran lifestyle
It has been noted that sharks of this species very often live in small schools.
Observations of scientists have shown that these sharks do not make migrations, especially large ones, although a case was recorded when the fish sailed from the waters of California to the Sea of Japan.
Sea fish (sprats, red mullet and anchovy) as well as other animals: octopuses, crabs, and others are chosen as food for katrana. They also eat sea worms.
Reproduction of katrans
Like other sharks, katrans are ovoviviparous fish. First, the female katrana bears eggs inside herself (this process can last up to 22 months). When it’s time to give birth, 15 to 20 little katranchiks are born. The length of newborns is up to 25 centimeters. Kids grow up and get stronger very quickly and after a while are ready for independent life. Puberty in young animals occurs at 12 - 15 years. In nature, katrans live no more than 25 years.
The katran fish, or spiny shark, as it is also called, is a member of the Squalidae family. This fish has sharp spines in front of each of the dorsal fins, which is its characteristic feature. On the dark gray back, as well as on the sides of the katran, there are large spots of white color, which is why this fish is also called the spotted white shark. The skin of the katran is covered with dense small scales, vaguely resembling sandpaper; teeth - small, multi-row, single-vertex.
In the waters of the Black Sea, the spiny shark is found off the coast in the spring and summer, and occasionally appears in the Sea of Azov. In general, this species is one of the most common in the World Ocean: katrana can be found in the North and White Sea in the north of the globe and in the ocean near New Zealand and Chile in the south.
As a rule, the length of the spiny Black Sea shark is within 160 cm with a weight of 16 kg. Katrans up to 2 m long are rarely found. The life span of this fish is about 25 years. Katran is a schooling fish. Mating of males and females occurs in late winter - early spring. Those katrans are considered sexually mature, which have reached 10-12 years. The gestation period is almost two years. The Black Sea spiny shark is a representative of viviparous fish; females of this species, on average, give birth to 14 sharks. Katran cubs are born fully formed, about 25 cm long and weighing 40-50 g. In the first year, they grow only 10 cm.
Katran fish is a typical predator, massively eating small fish species - anchovy, sprat and more large whiting and horse mackerel. In search of food, the spiny shark makes long migrations, migrating in the autumn after the clusters of anchovy and horse mackerel along the eastern shores of the Black Sea. This fish also makes diurnal migrations, sinking to the bottom in a bright time and rising to the surface at night. Katran, like other sharks, has a developed sense of smell and does not feel pain.
In the fishing industry, the prickly shark is an important object - the annual production of katran in the World Ocean reaches 30 thousand tons.
For fishermen fishing in the Black Sea, katran fish is one of the traditional fishing objects. Spiny shark is harvested using nets and bait hooks. Katran meat contains almost 12% fat, it has a pleasant taste and delicate texture. Especially tasty smoked katran. Fish sticks are made from the fillets of this fish. The liver of the spiny shark makes up a quarter of the total body weight of the fish, and the fat content in the liver reaches 75%, which allows the fish to swim perfectly without the presence of a swim bladder. Liver fat is rich in vitamins A and D, it is used for the manufacture of medicines and is used for technical purposes. Also in medicine, the cartilage of a prickly shark is used, and its skin is used as an abrasive material when processing precious woods and felt. Craftsmen make an original and impressive souvenir from the jaw of a katran, fins and cartilage are used to make glue, and pepsin is extracted from the stomach of a fish.
The fish attracts fishermen-lovers of katran, first of all, by its large size and incredible resistance when fishing. To successfully catch a prickly shark, you must use a nylon cord or strong fishing line with a load at the end of the tackle and large hooks on leashes. Fish (whiting, horse mackerel, etc.) are used as bait. The most successful period for fishing katran from boats on the high seas is spring and autumn.
Katran is a small, numerous shark and not dangerous for humans. But a person is very dangerous for her, since this fish is one of the most popular objects of commercial and sport fishing.
Katran - shark is small, numerous and not dangerous for humans
The Black Sea shark katran has many names. They call her:
- sand katran;
- southern katran;
- marigold;
- dogfish;
- ordinary katran;
- spotted shark;
- short-haired shark;
- blunt shark.
All the abundance of these names refers to fish from the order of the katraniforms, the katran family, the genus of thorny sharks.
On average, representatives of this formidable tribe reach about a meter in length. The maximum size of the caught specimen was recorded just over one and a half meters.
The spiny shark has a streamlined body that allows it to develop great speed. Males are smaller than females. They reach an average size of 60-90 cm. Females are larger - their size ranges from 75-105 cm. Individuals weigh no more than 10 kg.
Almost all the names of this fish contain the epithet “prickly”. This is due to the fact that there are sharp spines at the base of its dorsal fins. The first spine is shorter than the dorsal fin, the second slightly longer than the other dorsal fin. This is how the sea dog defends itself against numerous enemies who want to eat it.
Its skin has small placoid scales. The general color is dark gray, sometimes with small white spots. The snout has a typically shark pointed shape. The eyes are relatively large, located at an equal distance from the tip of the snout and the first branchial slit.
Gallery: shark katran (25 photos)
The most harmless shark (video)
Habitat
The spiny shark is ubiquitous in the temperate continental shelf.
The area is extensive. It can be described as follows:
- The Western Atlantic - from Greenland to the shores of Argentina;
- The East Atlantic - from Iceland to South Africa;
- Mediterranean Sea;
- Black Sea;
- The Pacific Ocean - in the regions of New Guinea, Japan, Korea, North China, the Bering and the Sea of Okhotsk;
- South coast of Australia and New Zealand.
According to their habitat, these fish have a number of populations. The Black Sea Katran is the only shark that lives in the European part of the Russian Federation. Those sharks that swim in the Far Eastern seas of Russia belong to a somewhat different, albeit related, species.
Lifestyle
These sharks, despite the excellent ability to swim quickly and even swiftly, prefer to stay at the bottom. Perhaps this habit occurs due to the fact that they live mainly on the shelf, that is, in waters with a shallow depth. For example, in the Black Sea, specimens are found in the thickness, and even at the surface of the water.
These fish are capable of large seasonal migrations. They huddle in big shoals. Moreover, the flocks are subdivided by sex and size.
Habitat - coastal areas of the seas. However, there are times when the katran swims in the estuaries of rivers. At the same time, the change in the salinity of the water does not bother him.
Black Sea shark katran
Food preferences
Everyone associates the image of a shark with a stupid and aggressive predator, which is enough for everything. To some extent, it is so. However, there are species that feed on plankton. However, this is rather an exception to the rule.
Katrans are actively involved in the food chains of the seas, since the shelf provides them with such an opportunity. They mainly feed on:
- mackerel;
- hake;
- gerbil;
- haddock;
- flounder;
- salmon;
- manhaden;
- crabs;
- squid;
- octopuses;
- shrimp;
- anemones;
- jellyfish;
- algae.
In turn, this fish is a food source for larger inhabitants of the oceans and seas. It feeds on other sharks, marine mammals, especially killer whales. If individuals rise to the surface of the water, they become prey for birds. They are even caught by seagulls, which pull the shark ashore, throwing it on sharp stones. The carcass is then pecked by birds of different types and sizes.
Breeding conditions
Reproduction in these fish is peculiar. They are of the ovoviviparous type. This means that eggs (eggs) are formed, but not laid.
Mating is internal. This happens in the spring. In the dilated oviducts, eggs are formed, located in two thin gelatinous capsules. This process of bearing eggs inside the female's body is somewhat similar to the pregnancy of birds or mammals. This pregnancy lasts from 18 to 22 months. Fry that grows up in the womb is usually born in the spring. With each litter from 1 female, about 20 fry 22-27 cm long appear.
This method of reproduction protects juveniles from early death at the stage of eggs. This increases the fertility of the species, despite the small number of individuals born per litter.
Sexual maturity occurs depending on gender. Males become adults at the age of 11 years, while reaching a length of about a meter. Females mature later - at the age of about 20 years with a growth of one to one and a half meters. This fish lives for a long time, almost like a person - up to 75 years.
Butchering a katran shark (video)
Cooking applications
This fish is considered a commercial fish and is in great demand in many countries. Fishing is especially developed in Japan, China, Norway, Great Britain.
Its meat is considered nutritious. It contains 142 kcal, 20% protein, 7% fat, but no carbohydrates.
At the same time, fish meat contains: cobalt, sulfur, iodine, potassium, chromium, phosphorus. Among biologically active substances, the product is rich in retinol, niacin, tocopherol.
In addition to meat, they also eat liver and cartilage, which are considered delicious. In addition, it is believed that they contain substances that improve human health. In particular, they improve blood formation, reduce the intensity of inflammatory processes, and activate the immune system.
Katrana can be salted, dried, smoked, fried, boiled. The famous soup is made from the fins of this particular shark.
A fat called squalene is melted from the liver. It is considered the lightest of all animal fats. It contains a large amount of vitamins A and D. It is used in medicine and also used for technical purposes. Shark oil is used to make ointments that are used to treat joints.
Fins are used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and even for technical purposes. For example, shark cartilage and skin are used to make tools with abrasive properties. In addition, glue is made from fins and cartilage, and pepsin is produced from stomach tissues.
In addition to the delicious shark fin soup, smoked balyks are especially appreciated, which are not inferior in taste to the famous smoked eel.
An intermediate product of smoked balyk is salted meat katran.
For its preparation, a large carcass is cut into pieces of the desired size. They are cleaned, rinsed and immersed in brine for two hours. After that, the pieces are washed. They can be eaten or smoked immediately.
Stewed katran is prepared as follows. A small layer of vegetable oil is poured onto the bottom of the saucepan in an amount sufficient to cover the bottom with oil.
You need to remove the skin from the fish, cut the meat into cubes or thin slices (as you like), and put it on the bottom. On top, place a layer of onion, cut into circles, then again you need to lay the pieces of fish, and onions on them. Optionally, you can lay a layer of grated carrots on top with a fur coat. All this needs to be salted, pepper, sprinkled with spices, brought to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes without stirring. When everything is ready, you need to pour chopped greens on top. You can pour apple cider vinegar or lemon juice on top of the onion.
Grilled shark is even easier to cook. Cut into slices about 0.5 kg of meat. The thinner the slices are cut, the better. However, in everything you need to know when to stop. Slices that are too thin will burn quickly and do not leave the desired taste. For this amount of fish, you need to cook half a lemon, unrefined sunflower oil, spices if desired, salt, pepper, flour.
In many countries of Europe and Asia, ceviche is prepared from shark meat. For this dish you need half a kilogram of fresh fish fillet, about 300 g of bell pepper cut into slices, 100 grams of chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon.
Fillet should be cut into small cubes and then pour over with lemon juice.
The fish is marinated for at least a day. At the same time, you need to keep the marinade with meat in a dark, cool place. After that, the marinated fish pieces are mixed with pepper, cilantro, onions and spices. That's all - the dish is ready.
Gourmets appreciate another dish made from katran meat. This is a shark steak or kebab. They are distinguished by their special fleshiness and aroma. To prepare such a dish, you need to take 3 tbsp. l. mixture of finely chopped bell pepper, 2 shark steaks, boneless, 1 tbsp. l. butter and sunflower or olive oil, 2 tbsp. l. cognac.
In a frying pan, melt the butter, add the vegetable oil to it and fry the steaks for 5 minutes on each side, sprinkling with salt when turning. Put the fried pieces in a deep warm plate, cover it with foil. While the fish has cooled slightly, you need to prepare the sauce. To do this, you need to warm up the cognac with the melted shark fat. Pour this mixture over a dish in a plate.
Thus, the little prickly shark is a source of pleasant taste sensations, as well as useful substances used in cooking, medicine and technical processes.
The katran shark, or the Black Sea shark, belongs to the cartilaginous fish of the Katran-like order. The species was first described in 1758 by the scientist Karl Linnaeus. The name is translated from Greek as a thorn or thorn, and fishermen often call the individual a short-finned prickly shark. This species is one of the most common and can be found in the waters of most oceans and seas around the world. The animal is of particular interest for the food industry and sport fishing.
The katran shark, or the Black Sea shark, belongs to the cartilaginous fish of the Katran-like order. General information
Such a streamlined body shape helps the shark move very quickly in the water, outstripping many representatives of reservoirs. The whole shark is covered with small scales, which are usually gray in color, smoothly turning into white closer to the belly. However, you can often find individuals, the sides of which are covered with small white spots of irregular shape. This is what is called the spotted species.
The head of the animal is flattened from above and below, and the snout is pointed. The eyes are small, oval and hardly noticeable when they are closed, which helps the individual to be less vulnerable to possible enemies. In the mouth of each individual there are several rows of small and extremely sharp teeth, which are shaped like fangs.
One of the features is considered to be quick replacement of teeth when they are lost or worn out. When all the teeth are grinded, new ones appear rather quickly in their place. This allows the predator to be always ready to hunt for prey and tear it into small pieces for ease of use. In the mouth of each individual, there are at least a hundred teeth.
There are spines in front of the back and front fins located on the back. In the first, the thorn is high and almost reaches the height of the fin, in the second it is less pronounced, and its length is not more than 3 cm.
For the speed of movement in the water, the tail of the katran is very important, which serves as a balancer and rudder when swimming. It is worth noting that the shark moves with lightning speed, leaving no chance for the victim to escape.
Distribution locations
The katran fish is widespread in many bodies of water. You can meet it in the world's oceans, the Indian and Pacific oceans, as well as in the waters of Australia, Japan and Argentina. If we talk about the territory of Russia, you can meet the katran shark in the Black Sea, where it feels quite comfortable.
The Bering and Okhotsk seas are also rich in this type of cartilaginous fish. There have been cases when an individual was found near California. An interesting feature of the fish is that it is able to migrate very long distances. This was confirmed by tagging one shark, which was subsequently released at one location and caught at a distance after about 7 years.
As a rule, a katran does not sail far into the open sea, but with an insufficient amount of food, it can forget about caution and swim away quite far. The individual prefers to live closer to the bottom, and in some cases flocks of katrans can be found. If the water temperature at the bottom drops significantly, individuals rise closer to the surface.
It was noted that the species does not tolerate high and low water temperatures. It is for this reason that it cannot be found in the cold waters of Antarctica and the hot climate of tropical water bodies. If the upper layers of the reservoir are very hot, individuals can descend to a depth of more than 100 meters, where a comfortable temperature remains. There is also a large number of small fish, which also cannot stand high temperatures.
Black Sea shark nutrition
The short-haired spiny shark is not one of the most dangerous marine predators, but its diet is quite diverse ... As a rule, she prefers small fish:
- Salmon, flounder, mackerel and other medium-sized representatives of the sea depths become good food for katran.
- The individual prefers to hunt for those representatives who live in flocks.
- The peculiarity of the nutrition of individuals is that they do not swallow the prey whole, but prefer to grind it before eating.
- With a shortage of small fish, the shark eats shrimp, jellyfish and crabs.
Despite the frightening appearance and more than a hundred teeth, animals often become prey for large birds themselves. Especially often they are caught by seagulls, raised above the surface of the water, brought to the shore in order to break them against stones and peck.
It is noted that the number of dolphins decreases every year in the reservoirs where katrans live. Scientists have concluded that sea dogs hunt dolphins in packs, since they cannot cope with such a prey alone.
Reproduction of the short-finned predator
The lifespan of each individual in a natural reservoir is about 25 years. She can be attributed to centenarians. Quite late comes the period of puberty in katran. As a rule, an individual reaches 10-12 years before reproducing offspring:
- The duration of carrying babies is almost 24 months.
- After that, from the eggs that the female carries in the oviduct, cubs up to 25 cm long are born.
- From 15 to 20 individuals appear at a time.
- After birth, they are immediately ready to lead a lifestyle that is familiar to their parents.
- For the birth of offspring, the female chooses a place where the depth is shallow in order to provide future offspring with easy prey in the form of fry and other small representatives.
- When the babies grow up a little and begin to demand larger prey, the female takes them to a depth.
- After 10-12 years, the entire life cycle repeats itself.
An interesting feature of this species of cartilaginous fish is that they choose a couple for themselves for life and try to spend it with a partner. This is a rare trait for such individuals.
The lifespan of each individual katran in a natural reservoir is about 25 years.
Cartilaginous fish and man
For amateur and professional fishermen, katran often becomes a real problem, as it damages the nets and destroys the catch. In mid-1950, Japan even instituted an award for those fishermen who can catch this predator.
Currently, fish is considered valuable for the food and pharmaceutical industries. It has been established that the liver of katran contains many times more valuable fat than the liver of cod and other fish. This is why the shark is prized. Its meat also has unique taste and properties useful for the human body.
Meat is especially appreciated in Norway, where it is actively consumed, and they also prefer to use katran eggs in cooking, which, according to scientists, contain several times more protein than chicken eggs. However, not in all countries the use of spiny shark products is so widespread.
In most countries, its meat is served under the guise of other, more common fish. Besides valuable fat, it contains many vitamins for example, large amounts of retinol. This makes the product even more valuable.
Currently, katran fish is considered valuable for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The cartilage of individuals, from which chondroprotective drugs are made for the treatment of various pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, also become useful for humans. Fins and heads are also prized as they release a sticky substance used to make glue.
The catch of the Black Sea shark is not large-scale, but at present the individual is included in the list of vulnerable animals, which in the coming years may completely disappear or greatly reduce their numbers. This is due to the fact that the period of bearing calves is quite long, and their number is decreasing every year.
For humans, the Black Sea shark is not dangerous. For many centuries, not a single case has been known when these animals attacked a person, although in the Black Sea they quite often intersect with people.
Shark-katran or more common name - ordinary spiny shark katran, as well as a sea dog is found in many seas.
Although it should be noted that she has a kind of preference in choosing places to stay. Not being a thermophilic representative of the shark genus, Katran feels great in cool sea water, and therefore, she likes warm seas less.
True, in Black sea katranu I like living, probably because the local waters have a unique marine fauna and flora. Moving far from the coast is not in her rules, she prefers coastal waters. In shallow waters, this "fish" does not often swim, it likes life at depths from 100 to 200 meters in the kingdom of semi-darkness.
If we consider on photo of a shark-katran, then you can see that it is a little like an ordinary representative of sturgeon breeds, however, the predatory breed is given out by a cigar-shaped body, a shark's mouth and a very unfriendly look of its empty black, glass-bead-like eyes.
The peculiarity of this representative of the shark genus is the absence of gill covers, the absence of an anal fin, and thorny spines that are located on the dorsal side of the fin. Such an adaptation is a kind of protection.
The tail resembles an oar. However, signs that can be seen visually are present in all the tribesmen of this detachment. Usually sharks of this species do not grow more than 1.5 meters, and their weight rarely reaches 12-15 kg, although it may be lucky and then it will be possible to meet a rather large individual - 2 meters with a mass of 20 kg.
The nature of the katran has deprived the color palette and therefore its color is not too bright, of the usual gray color, sometimes it casts a blue or steel metallic shade. Light spots can be recognized on the back and sides.
Like everyone else, Katran's teeth that have become unusable are periodically replaced with new sharp teeth. Experts have calculated that for the entire life of a shark, there are up to 1,000 teeth in the mouth of this predator. Such an ability can be envied - in order not to eat this fish for lunch, she is not afraid that she will have to insert dentures in order to grind solid food.
The skeleton of this representative is cartilaginous. This helps the katran to swing his body and move quickly. Good speed should be grateful for its fins. In addition, the fins serve to keep the fish in an upright or horizontal position. But the tail has its own task - to provide steering.
Character and lifestyle
The organ - the lateral line - plays a special role in orientation in boundless sea waters. Thanks to this unique organ, she is able to feel any, even the slightest, vibration of water.
Auls should say thanks to the sense of smell to the pits - the nasal openings that go straight into the throat. is capable of capturing at a decent distance a special substance that the victim secretes when frightened.
The appearance of the shark speaks for itself. it is clear at first glance that this is a mobile fish, capable of developing good speed and chasing prey until it reaches the prey.
Surely many people are interested in the question: "Is a thorny danger to humans?" Here you must immediately dispel all doubts and give an unambiguous answer that katran never attacks a person.
In this respect, a dog shark is no more dangerous than a perch or pike-perch, which, like the katran, has spiny thorns on its back. So the katran shark, living in the Black Sea, and in any other sea basin, does not pose a danger to humans.
Of course, if you try to stroke with unprotected hands black sea shark-katran, then the likelihood of injecting is high. Moreover, the injection site may become inflamed. Although there are probably few daredevils to touch the shark with their hands.
It is also not recommended to check whether the shark's teeth are sharp or not - getting hurt is a trifling matter. And naturally, you should not stroke the sea dog "against the grain", because, firstly, it will not like it, and, secondly, the scales are a small, but very sharp covering of the body.
Interesting fact: The dried skin of this shark, which resembles emery, is used for woodworking - the wood surface is sanded and polished.
If we consider the katrana from the point of view of the danger to the inhabitants of the sea, then it should be noted that the inhabitants of the sea coasts have long noticed that the number of dolphins is becoming less and less every year, and the merit in this, including this representative of the shark genus.
Although this statement is hard to believe, because the shark is almost the size of a dolphin and therefore the Katran will not hunt such prey alone, except perhaps in a flock. Man has long noticed that katrana huge liver, which contains a very useful fish fat.
For information: Vitamin A in shark liver contains 10 times more than in cod liver. In addition, the meat is incredibly tender and, after careful processing, can be a gourmet delicacy on the table.
Shark food katran
This type of shark loves to feast on small species of fish - anchovy, herring. Although he prefers larger fish for lunch, for example, horse mackerel or mackerel. And sea molluscs, squids and crustaceans are usually served with a prickly shark for dinner.
Seriously though, the main prey of this species of shark is schooling fish, which are also called pelagic - living in the water column. Fishermen use this observation in their fishing - they know that the easiest way to catch a katran is where there are huge shoals of herring or mackerel.
Reproduction and life expectancy
Spiny shark is a representative of the ovoviviparous shark breed. The female carries eggs in special capsules located in the oviduct for almost two years. Young sharks are born in numbers from 15 to 20 and they are not more than a quarter of a meter in size.
Shark cubs grow quickly, and the offspring born of the katran are immediately adapted to lead a predatory lifestyle, which is no different from the parental way of life.
By the age of 12, adolescent sharks become sexually mature, which means they are able to reproduce. It is interesting that katrans are distinguished by monogamy, that is, they have a constant companion in life, with whom this fish builds family relationships. Life expectancy by fish standards is large - a quarter of a century or more, so this species of shark can be called a long-liver.
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