Humpback smooth-hound

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iHumpback smooth-hound
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Triakidae
Genus: Mustelus
Species: M. whitneyi
Binomial name
Mustelus whitneyi
Chirichigno F., 1973

The humpback smooth-hound, Mustelus whitneyi, is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, found on the continental shelves of the tropical southeast Pacific from Peru to southern Chile between latitudes 3° S and 54° S, at depths of between 15 and 210 m. Its length is up to 87 cm.

Humpback smooth-hounds are an offshore bottom-dwelling shark, prefering rocky bottoms around islands. It feeds on crabs, mantis shrimps, and small bony fishes.

Reproduction is viviparous, with 5 to 10 pups per litter and length at birth about 25 cm.

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