They are named after the spines on their dorsal fins which resemble horns. They are gray or brown with small spots scattered on their fins and body. They are aggressive only when stepped on, and inflict only a superficial wound. These sharks are sluggish, nocturnal and mostly solitary. Crabs and mollusks, sea urchins, abalone and small fish.
Horn sharks breed at the bottom of their environment.
The male bites and hold the female s pectoral fin or gill region and, with some skilled maneuvering, copulate for about 35 minutes. They are somewhat cone-shaped, each with a singe embryo inside. Mating occurs in December and January, and the females lay their egg cases in February-April. The mother shark carries the cases in her mouth and places them in crevices in rocks where they will be safe until they harden. The egg cases hatch in 7-9 months.