sharptooth smooth-hound
Mustelus dorsalis
Small smooth-hound shark from the tropical Pacific, from southern Mexico to Peru, which eats shrimp on the shelf bottom. It is vulnerable worldwide.
Also called: cação-dente-agudo, cazón blanco, cazón de leche, sharptooth smooth-hound
- maximum
- 64 cm
- depth
- 20–200 m
who is the sharptooth smooth-hound
The sharp-tooth smooth-hound belongs to the family Triakidae and reaches 64 cm. It is a bottom shark of the continental shelf, near the coast, 20 to 200 m deep, from southern Mexico to Peru. It feeds mainly on shrimp and, probably, other crustaceans. It is viviparous, with a yolk-sac placenta, and has 4 pups per litter, born at 21 to 23 cm. It is caught on a small scale by commercial fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the sharptooth smooth-hound; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Slender smooth-hound shark of the genus Mustelus, small in size, up to 64 cm. It lives on tropical shelf bottoms, 20 to 200 m deep. To separate it from the spotted smooth-hound, Mustelus mento, note the location: this species goes from southern Mexico to Peru, and the spotted smooth-hound from Peru to Chile.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it occurs from southern Mexico to Peru, passing through Central America and Ecuador, on tropical shelves.
Habitat: Tropical continental shelf bottoms, near the coast, 20 to 200 m deep.
rules for the sharptooth smooth-hound
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Shark with no danger to whoever catches it, but the species is vulnerable worldwide. Hold it with care and release it with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00229, b = 3.14; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Mustelus dorsalis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Mustelus dorsalisNames by country and language.
