great hammerhead
Quick Summary
The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is a species of hammerhead shark, recognizable by its distinctive hammer-shaped head, known as a cephalofoil. These sharks can grow to over 6.1 meters (20 feet) in length and are found in tropical and temperate marine waters.1
The unique head shape serves multiple functions: it acts as a hydrodynamic bow plane for enhanced maneuverability, expands the nostrils for keener scent detection, widens the field of vision, and houses electroreceptive organs to detect prey. Great hammerheads are viviparous, giving birth to live young, and they primarily prey on large stingrays, though their diet can include other fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. While generally not considered dangerous, large hammerheads should be treated with caution.1
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