Chain catsharks (a.k.a. chain dogfish) are named after their cat-like eyes and chain-link pattern. Serving as camouflage, along with its white belly, the chain pattern looks like waves in the ocean to its predators. The shark’s sensory lateral line and ampullae of Lorenzini (on the shark’s snout) help sense changes in the water and locate their prey and migration paths. Common in the Northwest Atlantic, chain catsharks grow to 1.2–1.7 feet in length.
You can get up close and personal with chain catsharks at the Seacoast Science Center’s Close Encounters tank. Check Today’s Schedule to learn when the next a Close Encounters program is being held so you can come and pet a shark!
