Sealife guideThe banded houndsharkTriakis scyllium

Last updated on 01/25/2025 at 10:10 PM

Taxonomy

Common name: Banded houndshark
French name: Requin virli coro, requin chien à bandes
Spanish name: Tollo rayado
Scientific name: Triakis scyllium (Müller & Henle, 1839)
Family name: Triakidae
Order name: Carcharhiniformes
Class name: Elasmobranchii

Description

The banded houndshark is a small shark species that typically measures between 3.3 and 4.9 feet in length. It has a slender, elongated body with a brownish to grayish dorsal side marked by broad dark bands across its back, a lighter ventral side, and flanks speckled with black spots.

The banded houndshark (Triakis scyllium) © Martin Voeller | Dreamstime.com

The banded houndshark has barbels on its snout.

Geographic range

The banded houndshark inhabits the northwestern Pacific ocean and is mainly found in the East Asian region. It is present along the coasts of Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan.

Habitat

The banded houndshark is a benthic shark species that lives near the seafloor in shallow coastal waters and rocky reef areas.

Diet

The banded houndshark primarily feeds on fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

The banded houndshark (Triakis scyllium) © Martin Voeller | Dreamstime.com

Within the same genus

Leopard shark
(Triakis semifasciata)

Discover also

Common angelshark
(Squatina squatina)

Grey reef shark
(Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Japanese wobbegong
(Orectolobus japonicus)

Oceanic whitetip shark
(Carcharhinus longimanus)

Raja epaulette shark
(Hemiscyllium freycineti)

Scalloped hammerhead
(Sphyrna lewini)

Tawny nurse shark
(Nebrius ferrugineus)

Whitetip reef shark
(Triaenodon obesus)

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