Wildlife

Sharklike fishes

Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini

Description

To 13'9” (4.2 m). Elongate, compressed; head greatly expanded laterally, with eyes at each end of lateral expansion; gray above, white below. Anterior margin of head with median indentation; corners of mouth in front of line drawn between rear corners of head. Eye large, separated from nostril by distance equal to diameter of eye; front of mouth on or near line drawn between eyes.

Warning

Hammerheads are voracious predators and are dangerous to people.

Related Species

Smooth Hammerhead (S. zygaena) lacks median indentation on head; eye and nostril closer together; occurs in similar habitat from Nova Scotia south to Florida, and off S. California.

Habitat

In oceans near surface, sometimes in estuaries.

Range

From New Jersey south to S. Brazil, including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Discussion

 Hammerhead sharks are usually found near the surface where they feed on fishes and squids. They are known to attack their own kind as well as people.