Dusky smooth-hound (Mustelus canis)

Scientific name: Mustelus canis Mitchill, 1815

Dusky smooth-hound (Mustelus canis)

The Dusky smooth-hound (Mustelus canis) is a brackish-water fish of the family Triakidae.

Biology

Found on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes, ranging from shallow inshore waters and the intertidal to 200 m, occasionally down to 579 m. Occasionally found in freshwater. It is doubtful that this species can live in fresh water for an extended period of time. Feeds on large crustaceans, mainly crabs, but also heavily on lobsters (Homarus). Probably non-territorial. Off the Atlantic coast of the USA, this species is migratory. Viviparous (with a yolk-sac placenta), with 4 to 20 young in a litter. Longevity given as 7 years but appears too low. Utilized fresh, dried-salted, and smoked.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Mustelus canis
Family
Triakidae (Houndsharks)
Order
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
150
Common length
100.0
Depth range
800 m (2625 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range ? - 800 m, usually 18 - 200 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Massachusetts to Florida (USA), northern and western Gulf of Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados, Bermuda, Bahamas; southern Brazil to northern Argentina; also western Gulf of Mexico and Antilles. Northwest Atlantic: Canada. Allopatric with Mustelus mustelus and sympatric with Mustelus norrisi. One of the two new allopatric species of canis- norrisi-like smooth-hounds in this region is often confused with this species. The subspecies Mustelus canis insularis, occurring at several Caribbean islands, was identified by Heemstra.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Near Threatened (NT)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.04-0.43; tm=2-5; tmax=7; Fec= 4-20)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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