Gummy Shark Jaw with Data ex Dr.Gordon Hubbell

NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING Gummy Shark Jaw with Data (Mustelus antarcticus) The Gummy Shark is Australia's most commercially significant shark — the species behind most of the "flake" sold in fish and chip shops across the country for generations. But there's a collector's angle here that goes well beyond the dinner table. Mustelus antarcticus is one of the most thoroughly studied sharks on earth, its southern stock assessed annually for decades and considered a global model for sustainable shark fisheries management. A jaw with collection data from Dr. Gordon Hubbell's archive brings scientific grounding and provenance to a species that, for all its familiarity, is rarely encountered as a prepared specimen in private collections. Species & Classification Scientific Name: Mustelus antarcticus (Günther, 1870) Common Names: Gummy Shark, Flake, Sweet William, Australian Smooth Hound, Smooth Dog-Shark Family: Triakidae (Houndsharks) Order: Carcharhiniformes Etymology: Mustelus is Latin for "weasel," an ancient name for sharks possibly referring to the pointed snouts, swift movements, and rapacious feeding behavior of smaller predatory sharks; antarcticus is Latin for "southern," referring to its distribution in the southern Pacific around Australia FishBase Biology & Physical Characteristics Slender shark with a darker grey top with white spots and a silvery-white underbelly Wikipedia Gets its name from its flat, plate-like teeth used to crush shelled and non-shelled prey — giving the jaws the superficial appearance of toothlessness Wikipedia; these distinctive crushing teeth are immediately recognizable in jaw specimens Males reach a maximum length of 157 cm; females up to 175 cm; sharks measure 30–35 cm at birth Wikipedia Depth range 0–403 m, usually shallower than 80 m; demersal and oceanodromous FishBase Average life expectancy 16 years; typical generation length 10 years Wikipedia Habitat & Distribution Bottom-dwelling, found in waters around southern Australia from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Port Stephens in New South Wales, from the surface down to 350 m Wikipedia Two stocks in Australian waters: a southern stock including Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania; and an eastern stock including NSW and possibly Queensland Pipi Tagging and telemetry research shows the majority of individuals move less than 150 km, though some can travel more than 2,000 km Pipi Exhibits strong sexual segregation on a large scale — females predominantly in the west and southwest of Western Australia, males tending to stay in southeastern territories Wikipedia Diet & Behavior Feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates, using its flat crushing teeth to process hard-shelled prey Bottom-dwellers with minimal contact with humans; tend to flee when spotted, making observational studies difficult Wikipedia Only two known predators: humans, and the broadnose sevengill shark which preys on juveniles Wikipedia Reproduction Ovoviviparous but aplacental, with 1–38 pups per litter; embryos feed solely on yolk; gestation period 11–12 months; pups born at 30–35 cm Shark-References Females can store sperm for up to one year prior to first ovulation; polyandry allows females to mate with multiple males, increasing genetic diversity Wikipedia Males ready to reproduce by age four; all parental care is provided by the mother Wikipedia Conservation Status Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; southern stock assessed as Sustainable — one of the most well-studied and carefully managed shark species globally Pipi Current national catches approximately 2,000 tonnes annually, managed by catch and effort quotas under the Commonwealth Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Pipi The southern stock is considered a global model for shark fisheries management, maintained at or above its target reference point for several decades Pipi Misc. & Collector Facts The Gummy Shark is sold commercially as "flake" — the most widely consumed shark product in Australia — making it one of the most economically important sharks in the Southern Hemisphere and culturally iconic to generations of Australians The flat, pavement-like crushing dentition is one of the most immediately distinctive jaw morphologies in the Triakidae family — a visual counterpart to the similar crushing teeth of Mustelus canis (Dusky Smoothhound) from the Atlantic, making the two an outstanding comparative display Confused with another undescribed species whose southern distribution extends into Western Australia Shark-References — locality data is therefore scientifically useful for clarifying specimen identity "With data" includes collection locality and specimen documentation — valuable for a species with two genetically distinct stocks across its Australian range Dr. Gordon Hubbell provenance adds significant authentication and collectibility value Ideal for: Australian shark collectors, Triakidae and houndshark specialists, comparative Mustelus genus displays, natural history and museum-quality specimens