These sharks are characterized by teeth in upper and lower jaws similar in size; a caudal peduncle with lateral keels; the upper precaudal pit usually is present; and the caudal fin is without a subterminal notch.

Even at a young age, spiny dogfish pups may hunt fish two or three times their size.

The livers and stomachs of the Squalidae contain the compound squalamine, which possesses the property of reduction of small blood vessel growth in humans.

In addition to its long distance migration, the spiny shark holds the record for longest gestation period of any other vertebrate at 22–24 months.

Females produce eggs and give birth to live young that measure to be 20–33 cm (8–13 inches).