Dusky smooth-hound fishes is their ability to continually replace the teeth in their upper and lower jaws. Smooth dogfish differ from other sharks because of their 10 rows of flat, blunt teeth. The teeth in the upper and lower jaws are similar in size and are asymmetrical with rounded cusps. These teeth are used to crush and grind food, rather than bite it. Their unique dentition is important for their crustacean-based diet. In smooth dogfish, tooth replacement is related to body growth. They grow about 10 cm per every six rows of teeth replaced. That is an increase of 0.03 mm per
Starry smooth-hound 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° N and 16° N, from the surface to a depth of . It can grow up to a length of . The starry smooth-hound grows to a length of about . It is grey or greyish-brown with a scattering of small white spots on its dorsal (upper) surface and white on its ventral (under) surface. It is a long, lean fish with a somewhat rounded snout and rows of shallowly projecting teeth.