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Smooth hammerhead

1/20/2019

 
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Photo © George Burgess
​The smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) is a species of hammerhead shark in the family Sphyrnidae. This species is named "smooth hammerhead" because of the shape of its head. Called the "cephalofoil," it indeed looks like a hammer. But the “smooth” part comes from it not having an indentation in the middle of the hammer’s head (the front margin). If that doesn’t make this species stand out, maybe the fact that they like temperate waters does! You can find it worldwide at medium latitudes. In the summer, they migrate away from the equator and to the poles, following cool water. Like other hammerheads, they can sometimes form schools numbering in the thousands!
​It is the second-largest hammerhead shark after the great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), it measures up to 5 m (16 ft) long and weighs 400 kg (800 lb). That means it needs a varied diet of bony fishes, invertebrates, rays, and even other sharks to sustain it! An active hunter, they are also hunted by many for their fins for shark fin soup. They are viviparous and give birth a litter that can have up to 40 pups!

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

  • IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​

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    Author

    TFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments.
    ​
    A proud #LatinainSTEM, Marquez is a marine biologist who focuses on shark habitat use and movements; she is also a science communicator (follow her on Twitter) who focuses on diverse Chondrichthyan education and who focuses on the media coverage of sharks.
    You can learn more about her on her website.

    SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:

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  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact