Marine Species Identification Portal : Sharpfin houndshark

Author: Kato, 1968

Field Marks:
A houndshark with a short broadly rounded snout, lobate anterior nasal flaps that do not reach the mouth and are far separated from each other, long upper labial furrows that reach the lower symphysis of the mouth, teeth not bladelike, with straight erect cusps and cusplets littledeveloped or absent, narrow fins with the pectorals narrowly falcate and the first dorsal fin with a vertical posterior margin, and no spots.

Diagnostic Features:
Teeth with strong erect cusps on most teeth of the dental band except for some more distal teeth, cusplets low or absent on almost all teeth, semimolariform but not bladelike. First dorsal fin with abruptly vertical posterior margin; pectoral fins narrowly falcate in adults. Total vertebral counts 175 or 176. Body without small black spots.

Geographical Distribution:
Eastern South Pacific: Ecuador.

Habitat and Biology:
A rare shark of tropical continental waters off Ecuador, known from two specimens. Biology virtually unknown.

Size:
Maximum 102 cm (adult female), adult male 90 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
None at present.

Type material:
Holotype: U.S. National Museum of Natural History, USNM-201409, 1018 mm adult female. Type Locality: Isla de la Plata, Ecuador.

Sharpfin houndshark (Triakis acutipinna)