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Sharptooth houndshark
Species of shark / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The sharptooth houndshark or spotted gully shark (Triakis megalopterus) is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae found in shallow inshore waters from southern Angola to South Africa. Favoring sandy areas near rocky reefs and gullies, it is an active-swimming species that usually stays close to the bottom. This robust shark reaches 1.7 m (5.6 ft) in length and has characteristically large, rounded fins; the pectoral fins in particular are broad and sickle-shaped in adults. It also has a short, blunt snout and long furrows around its mouth. This species is gray or bronze in color above, with variable amounts of black spotting.
Sharptooth houndshark | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
Order: | Carcharhiniformes |
Family: | Triakidae |
Genus: | Triakis |
Species: | T. megalopterus |
Binomial name | |
Triakis megalopterus (A. Smith, 1839) | |
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Range of the sharptooth houndshark[2] | |
Synonyms | |
Mustelus megalopterus Smith, 1839
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Mainly active at night, the sharptooth houndshark feeds mostly on crustaceans, bony fishes, and cephalopods. It has been observed gathering in groups in shallow water during summertime, possibly for reproductive purposes. This species is aplacental viviparous, meaning that the unborn young are sustained mainly by yolk. Females give birth to 6–12 pups between late May and August, on a 2- or 3-year cycle. The sharptooth houndshark is often hooked by recreational anglers, and some are also captured on commercial bottom longlines. Because of its small range and low growth and reproductive rates, it is very vulnerable to overfishing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this species as least concern.