United Kingdom country information

Common names: Morgi llyfn, Smooth-hound, Starry smooth-hound
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: common (usually seen) | Ref: Ellis, J.R., A. Cruz-Martinez, B.D. Rackham and S.I. Rodgers, 2005
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Widespread around the British Isles (10-199 m), and most abundant along the southern and western coasts of the UK with high catch rates recorded in the outer Thames Estuary and Bristol Channel. Juveniles were caught frequently in the inshore waters of England and Wales, particularly off the south coast of England, outer part of the Thames Estuary and Bristol Channel (Ref. 82399).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Compagno, L.J.V., 1984
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Émissole tachetée, Musola dentuda, 宽鼻星鲨, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Triakidae (Houndsharks) > Triakinae
Etymology: Mustelus: Latin for weasel, an ancient name for sharks, possibly referring to the pointed snouts, swift movements and/or rapacious feeding behavior of smaller predatory sharks [strictly not tautonymous with Squalus mustelus Linnaeus 1758 since type was designated by the ICZN]. (See ETYFish); asterias: Starry, referring to many small white spots on dorsal (upper) surface of body. (See ETYFish).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 350 m (Ref. 6808). Temperate; 61°N - 16°N, 19°W - 36°E

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Northeast Atlantic: British Isles and North Sea to Canary Islands, including the Mediterranean and Mauritania.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 81.0, range 85 - ? cm
Max length : 154 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 86318); max. published weight: 4.8 kg (Ref. 4699)

A common inshore and offshore shark found on the continental and insular shelves from the intertidal down to at least 100 m. Prefers sandy and gravelly bottom. Feeds primarily on crustaceans (crabs, hermit crabs, lobsters and slipper lobsters). Ovoviviparous (aplacental), with 7 to 15 young per litter. Size at birth about 30 cm. Utilized fresh and dried salted.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Near Threatened (NT) (A2d); Date assessed: 04 August 2020

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 7 - 16.2, mean 10.1 (based on 587 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00170 (0.00143 - 0.00202), b=3.13 (3.08 - 3.18), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.6 ±0.3 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=2-3; Fec=7).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High to very high vulnerability (71 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Mustelus asterias Cloquet, 1819