Western Atlantic: southern Massachusetts, USA to Argentina; also Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba and south and west Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the Mediterranean. Indo-Pacific: scattered records ranging from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands. Eastern Pacific: Revillagigedo and Galapagos islands.

A stout shark with a moderately long, rounded snout, high, triangular, saw-edged upper teeth, and an interdorsal ridge; 1st dorsal fin very large and erect.

Found inshore and offshore, on continental and insular shelves and adjacent deep water. Common at bays, river mouths and in harbors; avoids sandy beaches and the surf zone, coral reefs and rough bottom, and surface waters. Coastal-pelagic, but usually bottom associated at 1-280 m.