Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
Triakidae | Mustelus canis | (Mitchill) | 1815 | Smooth Dogfish |
Mustelus canis
Unique Characters: A moderate-sized shark with an elongate and slender body, moderately flat on its ventral surface. A low sharp-edged dermal ridge on midline of back, particularly conspicuous between the 2 dorsal fins. Head flattened above and ending in a thin-tipped snout; snout moderately long. Head with 5 gill slits, the last pair posterior to pectoral- fin origins. Eyes horizontally oval, situated above sides of head, with a longitudinal nictitating eyelid. The teeth are numerous, small, cuspless (or weak-cusped), and arranged in a mosaic or pavement form. Two dorsal fins, the first dorsal fin much shorter than caudal fin and with its base entirely anterior to pelvic fins. Second dorsal fin somewhat smaller than the first dorsal fin, originating ahead of anal fin. Anal fin as large as or smaller than second dorsal fin. Caudal fin asymmetrical, its ventral lobe varying from virtually absent to strong, its upper edge not rippled. Caudal peduncle not flattened dorsoventrally or expanded laterally, without keels or precaudal pits. Intestine with a corkscrew-shaped spiral valve, with 6-10 turns. Dermal denticles on backs usually with a single cusp.
Similar Species: None.
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