Slender smooth-hound journal "Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand". Garrick named the species "Triakis attenuata", in reference to its extremely slender ("attenuate") body. In 1973, Leonard Compagno proposed a separate genus for the slender smooth-hound: "Gollum", after the character in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", "to whom this shark bears some resemblance in form and habits." He placed "Gollum" with the finback catsharks (Proscylliidae), but also noted its many anatomical similarities to the false catshark ("Pseudotriakis microdon"). At the time, Compagno chose to maintain "Pseudotriakis" as the sole member of the family Pseudotriakidae because of its
Common smooth-hound Common smooth-hound The common smooth-hound ("Mustelus mustelus") is a houndshark of the family Triakidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles to South Africa, and in the Mediterranean Sea, Madeira, and the Canary Islands at depths ranging from 5 m to 625 m (although they usually stay at depths between 5-50m). While they can grow to 200 cm, their usual maximum size is 150 cm. They commonly grow to 100–120 cm with a birth length around 35 cm. The reproduction of commons smooth-hounds is viviparous. The common smooth-hound has a grey-brown back and is white