The gummy shark, aka flake, Australian smooth hound, sweet william, or smooth dog-shark, is a small to medium-sized bottom-dwelling shark that can be found off the coast of southern Australia. These sharks are often fished for cuisine purposes due to their taste and market price. They face the threats of overfishing and over harvesting, as well as climate change that not only warms ocean water temperatures and decreases salinity, but that can result in habitat altering storms. However, they are abundant enough to earn the listing of Least Concern by the IUCN. Their population trend is currently listed as stable.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Mustelus antarcticus
Weight: Up to 54.67 lbs.
Length: Up to 5.74 feet
Lifespan: Up to 16 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Crustaceans, marine worms, small fish, octopuses, squids, and cuttlefishes are all preyed on.
2.) Like numerous other sharks, these critters are nocturnal (active at night).
3.) They utilize their plate-like teeth to help with crushing the shells and bodies of their prey for easier consumption.
4.) Males and females tend to segregate into gender shoals. Females tend to stay near the west and southwest, while males stay near the east, until mating season.
5.) These sharks can be found at depths of up to 1,150 feet.
But wait, there’s more on the gummy shark!
6.) Gestation (pregnancy) lasts for up to 12 months and can yield up to a whopping 57 pups!
7.) Females are ovoviviparous. Ovoviviparous animals are those that produce young via eggs which are then hatched inside of the animal’s body, then birthed live.
Did you know…?
The female can store sperm for up to 1 year prior to her first ovulation.
8.) They have only 2 known predators, humans and the broadnose sevengill shark.
9.) Gummy sharks are 1 of the more highly targeted fish for human consumption. Australia captures an average of 4,409 lbs. of these sharks per year.
10.) Unlike many other sharks, gummy sharks possess numerous rows of blunt, flattened teeth, not sharp serrated teeth.
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
Photo credit: iNaturalist
