Starry smooth-hound

The starry smooth-hound (Mustelus asterias) is a houndshark of the family Triakidae. It is found on the continental shelves of the northeast Atlantic, between latitudes 61 and 16° N, from the surface to a depth of 200 m (660 ft).

Distribution

This species of houndshark is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Its range extends from off southern Norway, Scotland, and the North Sea southwards to Algeria, Morocco, and off the Western Sahara. It is found in the whole of the Mediterranean, but not in the Black Sea. It is found on the continental shelf and around islands at depths to at least 200 m (660 ft) and prefers places where the seabed is sand or gravel.

This species of houndshark was found in the Thames River of London in 2021, and Plymouth National Marine Park in April 2022