Mustelus, also known as the smooth-hounds, is a genus of sharks in the family Triakidae. The name of the genus comes from the Latin word mustela, meaning weasel.[2] It should not be confused with the genus name Mustela, which is used for weasels.
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A smooth-hound can grow to 159 cm (5 ft. 3 in.) long and weigh more than 13 kg (29 lb).[3]
Currently, 28 recognized species are placed in this genus:
- Mustelus albipinnis Castro-Aguirre, Antuna-Mendiola, González-Acosta & De La Cruz-Agüero, 2005 (white-margin fin houndshark)
- Mustelus andamanensis White, Arunrugstichai & Naylorn, 2021 (Andaman smooth-hound)
- Mustelus antarcticus Günther, 1870 (gummy shark)
- Mustelus asterias Cloquet, 1821 (starry smooth-hound)
- Mustelus californicus T. N. Gill, 1864 (gray smooth-hound)
- Mustelus canis Mitchill, 1815
- M. c. canis Mitchill, 1815 (dusky smooth-hound)
- M. c. insularis Heemstra, 1997 (Caribbean smooth-hound)
- Mustelus dorsalis T. N. Gill, 1864 (sharptooth smooth-hound)
- Mustelus fasciatus Garman, 1913 (striped smooth-hound)
- Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908 (spotless smooth-hound)
- Mustelus henlei T. N. Gill, 1863 (brown smooth-hound)
- Mustelus higmani S. Springer & R. H. Lowe, 1963 (smalleye smooth-hound)
- Mustelus lenticulatus Phillipps, 1932 (spotted estuary smooth-hound)
- Mustelus lunulatus D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882 (sicklefin smooth-hound)
- Mustelus manazo Bleeker, 1854 (starspotted smooth-hound)
- Mustelus mangalorensis Cubelio, Remya R & Kurup, 2011 (Mangalore houndshark) [4]
- Mustelus mento Cope, 1877 (speckled smooth-hound)
- Mustelus minicanis Heemstra, 1997 (dwarf smooth-hound)
- Mustelus mosis Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1899 (Arabian smooth-hound)
- Mustelus mustelus Linnaeus, 1758 (common smooth-hound)
- Mustelus norrisi S. Springer, 1939 (narrowfin smooth-hound)
- Mustelus palumbes J. L. B. Smith, 1957 (whitespotted smooth-hound)
- Mustelus punctulatus A. Risso, 1827 (blackspotted smooth-hound)
- Mustelus ravidus W. T. White & Last, 2006 (Australian grey smooth-hound)
- Mustelus schmitti S. Springer, 1939 (narrownose smooth-hound)
- Mustelus sinusmexicanus Heemstra, 1997 (Gulf smooth-hound)
- Mustelus stevensi W. T. White & Last, 2008 (western spotted gummy shark)
- Mustelus walkeri W. T. White & Last, 2008 (eastern spotted gummy shark) - now seen as a synonym of M. antarcticus
- Mustelus whitneyi Chirichigno F., 1973 (humpback smooth-hound)
- Mustelus widodoi W. T. White & Last, 2006 (white-fin smooth-hound)
- Mustelus sp. not yet described (Sarawak smooth-hound)
- Mustelus sp. not yet described (Kermadec smooth-hound)
Kindersley, Dorling (2005). Animal. New York City: DK Publishing. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5. Cubelio, S.S., Remya R & Kurup, B.M. (2011): A new species of Mustelus (Family: Triakidae) from Indian EEZ. Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences, 40 (1): 28-31.
