Eastern Atlantic: Madeira and Mauritania to Angola; reported from the Gulf of Taranto. Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia, north to Japan, south to Australia.

A small shark with a long, narrow, snout, big eyes without notches, long labial furrows, and oblique-cusped teeth which may be smooth-edged or weakly serrated; 2nd dorsal fin small, low and behind larger anal fin; no interdorsal ridge. Grey or grey-brown above, white below. Dorsal and anal fins with dusky or blackish edges, fins slightly darker than back.

Found on continental shelves, often on sandy beaches and rarely in estuaries. Reported to enter freshwater and recorded several times from Cambodia as far upstream as the Great Lake. Occurs near the surface in shallow waters. Feeds mainly on small pelagic and benthic bony fishes, also cephalopods and other invertebrates. Viviparous. Utilized fresh and possibly dried salted for human consumption and for fishmeal.