dusky smooth-hound
ExploreFish
dusky smooth-hound
Mustelus canis
The dusky smooth-hound is a type of shark that has a smooth body and a friendly face. They are often found swimming in warm coastal waters and love to hunt for tasty fish and squid.
Habitat: Coastal areas
Appearance
The dusky smooth-hound has a slender, greyish-brown body on top, fading to a lighter, sometimes white, belly. Its most distinctive features are its blunt, rounded snout and two dorsal fins of similar size, without any anal fin. Its skin feels smooth to the touch, unlike many other sharks.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassElasmobranchiiOrderCarcharhiniformesFamilyTriakidaeGenusMustelus
Category
FishRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Its skeleton is made entirely of cartilage, not bone, making it super flexible!
The dusky smooth-hound gets its name because its skin feels smooth, not rough!
These sharks often travel in schools, sometimes numbering hundreds of individuals!
They can live in a wide range of water temperatures, from cool to warm seas!
Special abilities
Ability
Electro-Sense Sniffer
Dusky smooth-hounds can find hidden prey by sensing weak electric fields with special pores on their snout, even in murky water.
Ability
Crusher Jaws
Dusky smooth-hounds have flat, pavement-like teeth that help them crush hard-shelled prey like crabs and clams with ease.
Ability
Live Birth Nursery
Dusky smooth-hounds give birth to fully formed, live pups that are ready to swim and hunt immediately after birth.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 70-150 cm
- Weight
- 2-12 kg
- Lifespan
- 10-16 years
- Swim Speed
- 20 km/h
- Maximum Depth
- 200 m
- Water Type
- Saltwater
Diet & Feeding
This shark loves to munch on crabs, lobsters, and other tasty creatures with hard shells!
Age differences: Juveniles eat smaller invertebrates, while adults tackle larger crabs and molluscs.
Primary Foods
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Shrimp
- Clams
- Molluscs
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
Blue crab
Callinectes sapidus
eats blue crabs, a primary food source on the seafloor.
eats
American lobster
Homarus americanus
eats American lobsters, an important part of its diet.
eaten by
Bull shark
Carcharhinus leucas
eaten by larger predatory sharks like the bull shark.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Piscivorous
Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
Coastal
Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Always stay safe by watching from the shore and never touch wild animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is dusky smooth-hound?
70-150 cm
How much does dusky smooth-hound weigh?
2-12 kg
How long does dusky smooth-hound live?
10-16 years
What does dusky smooth-hound eat?
This shark loves to munch on crabs, lobsters, and other tasty creatures with hard shells!
How fast can dusky smooth-hound swim?
20 km/h
Where is dusky smooth-hound usually found?
Coastal areas
How does dusky smooth-hound hunt?
Foraging
How deep can dusky smooth-hound go?
200 m
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