Family: Carcharhinidae, Requiem Sharks view all from this family

Description A small, slender shark. Well-separated dorsal fins, second nearly as large as first. Pale gray overall, lighter below; no spots or dark bars. Scales lance-shaped, with 3 or 4 parallel keel-like ridges. Origin of first dorsal fin over inner margin of pectoral fin. Upper labial furrows distinctly longer than lower. Teeth molar-like. Scale-like denticles on tongue and front of palate. TL to 5’ (1.5 m).

Similar Species Smalleye Smoothhound (M. higmani), a small species (TL to 16–25”/41–64 cm), has 3 cusps and curved ridges on crowns of scales; it ranges from Venezuela to s Brazil. Florida Smoothhound (M. norrisi), also small (TL to about 3’/1 m), has lance-shaped scales and upper labial furrows shorter than lower; it ranges from Florida and Gulf of Mexico to w Caribbean and Venezuela; also s Brazil.

Habitat Coastal populations to depths of 60’ (18 m); deeper in island waters.

Range Bermuda, Massachusetts to Florida, Bahamas, n and w Gulf of Mexico, Antilles; coast of Venezuela. Also from s Brazil to Argentina but absent from the region between Venezuela and s Brazil.

Discussion The Smooth Dogfish bears litters of four to 20 young. Feeding primarily on small fishes, crustaceans (including lobsters in northern waters), and other invertebrates, it does not attack humans.