The speckled smooth-hound ( Mustelus mento) is a houndshark of the family Houndshark. It is found on the continental shelf of the eastern Pacific, between Equator and 54° S, at depths between . It can reach a length of . Collectively with certain other species of shark, it is known as "tollo".
Description
The speckled smooth-hound is a robust shark with a moderately long, blunt snout, small eyes, short mouth and molar-like teeth without cusps. The trailing edge of the dorsal fins have small, pointed projections. The pectoral fins are large and the pelvic fins moderately large. The caudal peduncle is short and the lower lobe of the tail fin is narrow and slightly curved. The maximum length is about with maturity being reached by males at about and females at about . Adults are grey or greyish-brown above and paler below, liberally speckled with white spots. Juveniles have dark bars.
Distribution
The speckled smooth-hound is found off the Pacific coast of South America, including the Galapagos Islands and the Juan Fernández Islands. Its range extends from the Isla Lobos de Tierra in Peru to the southern tip of Chile. It is a
demersal fish and swims close to the seabed on the continental shelf at depths of between .
Reports of this fish occurring in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina are thought to be erroneous, and are likely to refer to the narrownose smooth-hound (
Mustelus schmitti), another shark that is speckled with white spots.
Mustelus mento jaws.jpg|Jaws
Mustelus mento upper teeth.jpg|Upper teeth
Mustelus mento lower teeth.jpg|Lower teeth
Biology
The speckled smooth-hound is
ovoviviparous with eggs that develop within the female and hatch into juvenile fish which are about at birth. Litter sizes are typically seven.
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Status
Along with the humpback smooth-hound ( Mustelus whitneyi) and the spotted houndshark ( Triakis maculata), this fish is known to local fisheries as "tollo" and is caught by artisan fishermen using .
