The hooktooth shark is a weasel shark found in the Indo-west Pacific. It is named after its hooked lower teeth that can be seen emerging from its pointed snout even when its mouth is closed.
Hooktooth Shark Scientific Classification |
|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes |
| Order | Carcharhiniformes |
| Family | Hemigaleidae |
| Genus | Chaenogaleus |
| Scientific Name | C. macrostoma |
Description
On average, these sharks are between 2.2 and 3.3 feet. Both dorsal fins lack spines, and the second is 2/3rd the size of the first.
The teeth in this shark’s lower jaw are very long and hooked, protruding out of its mouth even when closed. Its upper teeth have distal cusplets with no serrations.
Hooktooth sharks are light grey to bronze, with the second dorsal fin and the terminal lobe of the caudal fin sometimes having black edges.
Where do they live
Map Of The Hooktooth Shark’s Habitat
These sharks live in the Indo-west Pacific, with sightings in China, the Gulf, India, Java, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
They are a coastal species, living in tropical waters at depths of 194 feet.
Behavior
Feeding
Their diet most likely comprises cephalopods, crustaceans, and small bony fish.
Reproductive
These sharks are viviparous, giving live birth to a litter of up to 4 pups.
Interactions with humans
Hooktooth sharks are sometimes the victims of inshore gillnet fisheries and small-scale longlining to the point where they are not available in certain parts of their territory like Indonesia. This has caused the IUCN to classify it as “Vulnerable” or “VU”.
