In Hawaiian culture, hammerheads are revered as the most respected type of shark in the ocean.Without their wing-shaped head, hammerheads would fall and sink to the bottom of the ocean floor.Scientists believe the population of scalloped hammerheads have reduced by 95% within the past 30 years.Only three species are considered to be dangerous to humans - the scalloped, smooth and great hammerhead.Unfortunately, the scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead are currently listed as an endangered and the smalleye hammerhead is listed as vulnerable due to overfishing.Unlike other sharks, hammerheads only reproduce about once a year.All sharks have and use these pores to sense the electrical field of aquatic prey, but hammerheads have them spread out. Scientists believe their uniquely shaped heads, which contain electroreceptory sensor pores, allow them to scan the ocean more efficiently.Hammerheads possess flat bodies which allow them to swim silent on the ocean floor.As the name suggests, the great hammerhead is the largest of the 9 species.Hammerheads frequently travel in packs, some of which may consist of 400 or more sharks (check the video below for an example).Hammerhead Shark In Shallow Waters Fun Facts About The Hammerhead Shark
Either way, these highly unique sharks are in a class of their own. Some scientists believe millions of years of evolution led to their uniquely-shaped head, while others believe it was a spontaneous mutation. While scientists have learned a lot about the hammerhead, the reasoning behind the shape of their head is still debated to this day. It's not uncommon to find younger hammerheads swimming up in shallow ocean waters less than a foot deep! Although this type of behavior can frighten beach-goers, small hammerheads such as these are typically harmless. For the most part, though, hammerheads stay around the shallow and warm coastal waters where prey is easy to find. They can pin large prey such as the stingray down on the ocean floor using their oddly shaped head.Ĭertain species of hammerheads, including the great hammerhead, migrate to cooler waters (both north and south) in the summer. Hammerheads feast on a wide variety of aquatic prey, some of which includes squid, octopus, fish, shrimp, lobsters, crabs and stingray. They remain grouped in schools during the daytime and venture out alone at night in search of prey, which is an unusual characteristic not commonly found in sharks. Hammerheads prefer to inhabit the warm tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the world where they can easily find prey. The nine known species of hammerhead sharks include: While all sharks posses this ability, hammerheads are more adept due to the increased number of receptors in their head. Any nearby prey creating electric signals will catch the attention of a hunting hammerhead. In addition to their keen sight, hammerheads also have the ability (electroreception) to detect prey by reading the electrical signals from other animals in the water. With this superior level of sight, hammerheads are capable of identifying prey from afar.
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Scientists believe the hammerhead's uniquely shaped head has evolved over the course of millions of years to provide them with a full 360-degree panoramic view. All nine share some common physical characteristics and traits, the most noticeable of which is their narrow, flattened head with eyes set far apart from one another on each side (also known as cephalofoil). Currently taxonomists have identified a total of nine species in this family. The hammerhead shark isn't a specific species but rather a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae. S8 60 7 8 HAMMERHEAD Shark Tooth necklace pendant Choice GOLD or SILVER wireĥ 16 Hammerhead Fossilized Shark Tooth Found at GPS 32501578 80296766 T14 Wild Republic Hammerhead Shark Plush Toy Gray White Teeth 15 Stuffed Animal Rare great hammerhead shark tooth from Sarasota Florida 061 inches S808 22 modern 5 8 white Hammerhead SHARK TOOTH silver wired Earrings Teeth S9 12 13 16 HAMMERHEAD Shark Tooth necklace pendant Pick GOLD or SILVER wire S9 9 13 16 HAMMERHEAD Shark Tooth necklace pendant Pick GOLD or SILVER wire S9 7 13 16 HAMMERHEAD Shark Tooth necklace pendant Pick GOLD or SILVER wire S9 6 13 16 HAMMERHEAD Shark Tooth necklace pendant Pick GOLD or SILVER wire
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