Spotted estuary smooth-hound

The spotted estuary smooth-hound or rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, found on the continental shelves and in estuaries around New Zealand.^[2] It is closely related to the gummy shark (Mustelus antarcticus) of Australia.^[3] Males can grow up to a length of 125 cm (49 in), while females can reach a length of 151 cm (59 in).^[2]

Spotted estuary smooth-hound
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	Carcharhiniformes
Family:	Triakidae
Genus:	Mustelus
Species:	M. lenticulatus
Binomial name
Mustelus lenticulatus Phillipps, 1932

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It is commercially fished, and is commonly served in fish and chip shops in New Zealand under the name "lemonfish".^[4] In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the spotted estuary smooth-hound as "not threatened" with the qualifier "conservation dependent" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.^[5]

References

1. Finucci, B.; Kyne, P.M. (2018). "Mustelus lenticulatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T39356A116736541. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T39356A116736541.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Carpenter, Kent E.; Binohlan, Crispina B. "Mustelus lenticulatus Phillipps, 1932 Spotted estuary smooth-hound". Fishbase. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
3. Gardner, M.G.; Ward, R.D. (2002). "Taxonomic affinities within Australian and New Zealand Mustelus sharks (Chondrichthyes: Triakidae) inferred from allozymes, mitochondrial DNA and precaudal vertebrae counts". Copeia. 2002 (2). BioOne: 356–363. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[0356:TAWAAN]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 85403536. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
4. Ballance, Alison (5 March 2015). "Tracking Rig Sharks". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
5. Duffy, Clinton A. J.; Francis, Malcolm; Dunn, M. R.; Finucci, Brit; Ford, Richard; Hitchmough, Rod; Rolfe, Jeremy (2018). Conservation status of New Zealand chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks and rays), 2016 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 10. ISBN 9781988514628. OCLC 1042901090.