Little is known of the smoothtooth blacktip shark's natural history; it likely inhabits shallow waters and feeds on small bony fishes.

Although more specimens have since been discovered, the conservation status of this species remains precarious due to heavy fishing and habitat degradation within its range.

The first known specimen of the smoothtooth blacktip shark was a 75-cm-long, immature male caught by Wilhelm Hein in 1902 and deposited at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna.

In 1985, the shark was examined and described as a new species by New Zealand ichthyologist Jack Garrick in a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration technical report.

Sixteen upper and 14–15 lower tooth rows are on either side, along with two or three small teeth at the symphysis (center) of either jaw.

[2][3] The fairly long and pointed pectoral fins are slightly sickle-shaped (falcate) and originate between the fourth and fifth gill slits.

The dermal denticles are slightly overlapping and bear three prominent horizontal ridges leading to three or five marginal teeth.

The Kuwait specimens were obtained from fish markets; given the practices of Kuwaiti speedboat fishers, this shark can be supposed to inhabit shallow, coastal waters.

[2] Prior to the finding of additional specimens in Kuwait, the International Union for Conservation of Nature assessed the smoothtooth blacktip shark as Endangered based on its presumed small range and population.

[1] Despite the discovery of a second subpopulation off Kuwait, this species likely still warrants an Endangered assessment because the waters around the Arabian Peninsula are subject to heavy fishing pressure and habitat degradation.