Favoring sandy areas near rocky reefs and gullies, it is an active-swimming species that usually stays close to the bottom.

Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith originally described the sharptooth houndshark as a species of Mustelus in 1839, as part of his work Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.

[5] A 2006 phylogenetic study by J. Andrés López and colleagues, based on four protein-coding gene sequences, found that this species did not group with the leopard shark (T. semifasciata).

The large mouth bears long, deep furrows at the corners, with those on the lower jaw almost meeting in the middle.

Each tooth has a rounded, molar-like base that rises to a sharp, upright central cusp; rarely, a pair of barely developed lateral cusplets may also be present.

Young sharks are mostly unmarked, while adults vary from plain to densely covered with irregular black spots.

[4][8] It generally swims just barely above the bottom, favoring flat areas near rocky reefs or gullies, and seldom rises into open water.

[1][4] The sharptooth houndshark is a highly active species, though it can sometimes be found resting inside rocky crevices.

Sharks and rays (including catsharks and guitarfishes) and their egg capsules are a minor food source for larger individuals.

[8] This shark has been observed deviating from its nocturnal habits to feed on chokka squid (Loligo reynaudii) during their mass spawnings.

[5][8] Females apparently reproduce either every two or three years, depending on whether she has ovarian eggs developing during the pregnancy that would allow her to mate again within a few months of giving birth.

[5] Small numbers are also caught incidentally by a commercial demersal longline fishery targeting the school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) in the Gansbaai and False Bay region.

The meat from sharks caught in the fishery is either made into biltong or jerky and sold locally, or exported fresh or frozen to Italy and Taiwan.

[1] This species is highly susceptible to even moderate levels of fishing pressure, due to its restricted range, slow growth rate, and low fecundity.