Lesser Spotted Dogfish

Photo: Tony Gilbert · CC BY-NC

Dogfish rest in pairs and small groups on the sandy patches at the base of the wall, often using the same locations repeatedly over weeks. Their spotted patterning provides effective camouflage on the mottled sand and gravel substrate, and they are generally unbothered by divers approaching within arm's reach. Egg cases — 'mermaid's purses' with long tendril-like corners that wrap around kelp stems — are commonly found throughout the site between autumn and spring.