Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) >
Triakidae (Houndsharks) > Triakinae
Etymology: Mustelus: Latin for weasel, an ancient name for sharks, possibly referring to the pointed snouts, swift movements and/or rapacious feeding behavior of smaller predatory sharks [strictly not tautonymous with Squalus mustelus Linnaeus 1758 since type was designated by the ICZN] (See ETYFish); minicanis: mini-, from minimus (L.), least; canis (L.), dog, being a dwarf version of M. canis (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 71 - 183 m (Ref. 27770). Tropical
Western Central Atlantic: known only from the coast of South America between Cape La Vela, Colombia and Rio Caribe, Venezuela.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 47.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27770); 57.4 cm TL (female)
Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
Heemstra, P.C., 1997. A review of the smooth-hound sharks (Genus Mustelus, Family Triakidae) of the western Atlantic ocean, with descriptions of two new species and a new subspecies. Bull. Mar. Sci. 60(3):894-928. (Ref. 27770)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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