Great hammerhead shark lifestyle

Great hammerhead shark lifestyle

Blog Article

The great hammerhead (*Sphyrna mokarran*) is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae[1][5].

**Description:** Great hammerhead sharks have a streamlined body and a characteristically shaped "hammer" called a cephalofoil[1]. The cephalofoil of the great hammerhead is wide with an almost straight front margin[1]. Their coloring ranges from dark brown to light gray to olive on top, fading to white underneath[1]. Adults have unmarked fins, while juveniles may have a dark tip on their second dorsal fin[1]. Great hammerheads have triangular, strongly serrated teeth, with 17 rows on either side of the upper jaw and 16–17 on either side of the lower jaw[1]. The first dorsal fin is tall and sickle-shaped, originating above the pectoral fins[1].

**Size:** Great hammerheads typically measure around 11 feet (3.5 m) long and weigh about 500 pounds (230 kg)[2][1][4]. However, they can reach a maximum length of 20 feet (6.1 m)[1][2][7]. The heaviest known great hammerhead was a pregnant female weighing 1,280 lb (580 kg)[1].

**Distribution and habitat:** Great hammerheads live in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide, between 40°N and 37°S[1]. They inhabit coastal areas, coral reefs, continental shelves, island terraces, lagoons, and deep water near land, from less than 3.3 feet (1 m) deep to 260 feet (80 m) offshore[1]. They can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans[1].

**Taxonomy:** The great hammerhead was first described as *Zygaena mokarran* in 1837 by German naturalist Eduard Rüppell[1]. The get more info species name comes from the Arabic get more info word for "horned"[1].

**Ecological role:** As apex predators, great hammerheads play a crucial role in maintaining balance and diversity in coastal marine ecosystems by preying on species lower in the food chain and removing diseased or injured individuals[2].

**Threats:** Great hammerhead populations have declined substantially worldwide, leading to an assessment of critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2019[1]. They are heavily fished for their large fins, which are valuable in the shark fin soup market[1][2]. Climate change also poses a threat, as rising water temperatures can impact their prey availability and migratory patterns[2].

Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_hammerhead
[2] https://www.earthday.org/great-hammerhead/
[3] https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/sphyrna-mokarran/
[4] https://oceana.org/marine-life/great-hammerhead-shark/
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammerhead_shark
[6] https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphyrna_mokarran/
[7] https://www.sharks.org/great-hammerhead-shark-sphyrna-mokarran
[8] https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/great-hammerhead-sphyrna-mokarran/