Hammerhead sharks, one of the most recognizable sea creatures, have long been the subject of controversy and wonder. Much of our knowledge about this complex group of species is relatively new and sheds exciting light on shark behavior and evolution. There are also many things that we simply do not know or that have not been confirmed in research, so more research is needed to uncover all the secrets of the hammerhead. While we wait for new discoveries, let’s take a look at 10 incredible facts about hammerhead sharks!
1. There are ten different types of hammerhead sharks.
Nine species of hammerheads belong to the same genus (Sphyrna) and one has its own genus (Eusphyra). The name of the genus “Sfirna” actually comes from the Greek word for “hammer”. Eusphyra comes from the Greek words for good or true combined with hammer. Ten types of hammerheads:
- Winged shark (Eusphyra blochii)
- Toothed bonnet head (Sphyrna corona)
- Whitetip hammerhead (Sphyrna couardi)
- Carolina hammerhead (Sphyrna gilberti)
- Toothed hammerhead (Sphyrna leweni)
- Scoophead (Sfirna media)
- Large hammerhead (Sefirna Mokarran)
- Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo)
- Hammerhead Smalleye (Sphyrna tudes)
- Smooth hammer (Sphyrna zygaena)
2. The hammerhead part is called the cephalofoil and it’s a really cool shark adaptation.
Cephalofoil is responsible for the distinctive shape of the hammer head group and gives them incredibly effective binocular vision and superior depth perception. Scientists also believe that the size of the cephalofoil gives hammerheads more electroreceptor organs than other sharks, which increases their ability to travel enormous distances and detect electric fields surrounding possible prey.
3. Some hammers use their hammerheads to aid in hunting.
In addition to the incredible visual prowess that the cephalofoil imparts to hammerheads, it has been observed that they actually use their heads to bump into stingrays and nail them to the substrate (ocean floor). This repetitive action will eventually tire the stingray and make it easier for sharks to eat.
4. The poisonous spines of the stingray do not affect hammerheads at all.
Stingray spines are known to cause fever, nausea, swelling, and even seizures in humans. The thorns are also incredibly sharp and have led to some deaths, including the notorious death of Steve Irwin (Crocodile Hunter). The hammers don’t seem to mind; In fact, many huge hammerheads have been found with ramp notch pieces embedded in their faces.
5. The eye position of the hammerhead gives them an incredible 360 degree view.
Each eye is located at each end of the lateral lengthening of the head, which means they can see almost everything around them all the time. The only exception is the large blind spot right in front of their noses. The divers stated that a fish was hiding in the hammer’s blind spot, as if to say, “Ha! You can’t see me! “
6. Despite their nasty appearance, hammerhead attacks are rare.
Globally, there were only 17 attacks and no fatalities. Most of the attacks occurred when sharks were provoked or accidentally caught in fishing nets. Hammerheads also have a disproportionately small mouth compared to their fellow sharks.
7. Hammerhead sharks are not as old as many other sharks.
Some shark species have been called dinosaurs because they coexisted with them, but not hammerhead sharks. In the general scheme of the presence of sharks on Earth, they are relatively new, most likely, arose in the Miocene epoch (23-5.3 million years ago). Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago.
eight. They can get tanned!
Due to their tendency to hover in shallow water, some hammerhead sharks can actually tan, changing color from light brown to almost completely black. There are also no known cases of skin cancer in sharks. Further exploration of how they can sunbathe without getting cancer may be critical in uncovering how to prevent and treat melanoma. Tanning without risk of melanoma? I would say this is an incredible adaptation.
nine. Hammerhead sharks love to swim sideways!
Typical sharks have eight fins, the most recognizable of which is the dorsal fin; they also usually have two pectoral fins. Most sharks have pectoral fins longer than the first dorsal fin, but this is not the case for sharks that affect their movements. In a 2016 experiment published in Journal of Experimental BiologyGoPros were attached to hammerheads to document how they float. After watching the video, it was found that sharks almost 90% of the time turned on their side somewhere between 50-75 degrees. Scientists suspect that when hammerhead sharks do this, their dorsal fin acts more like an additional pectoral fin, decreasing drag and increasing wingspan, which increases swimming efficiency.
ten. The first case of a shark’s virgin birth came from a hammerhead shark.
Perhaps one of the strangest hammerhead facts has to do with the captive bonnet shark at the Omaha, Nebraska Aquarium. All the hats in the aquarium were female, and in 2001 one of them was born a virgin, that is, was born without the participation of a male. Testing confirmed that the new shark did not have paternal DNA. This was the first time a shark was born immaculately. Quoting Ian Malcolm of Jurassic Park: “Life finds a way out.”
Bonus fact: Hammerheads – movie stars…
If you love 90s Disney movies, you may remember seeing hammerheads in the 1960s adaptation of Flipper. In the film version (released in 1996), the bottlenose dolphin protects young Elijah Wood from a hammerhead shark.
Well, here are some interesting, bizarre and downright addicting facts about hammerhead sharks! Hopefully there will be more information on these adaptive and interesting predators in the next few decades.