Hammerhead Shark
· Hammerhead Shark Habitat
· Hammerhead Shark Food
· Hammerhead Shark Behaviour
· Conservation Status
· Hammerhead Shark Pictures
· Hammerhead Shark Facts

Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead shark classification

Hammerhead sharks: Subgenus Sphyrna

Hammerhead sharks: Subgenus Platysqualus

Hammerhead sharks: Subgenus Mesozygaena

Hammerhead shark habitat

Hammerhead sharks inhabit warm waters in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They seem to prefer coastlines and continental shelves, and are often spotted in the upper part of the drop-off zone that is located adjacent to the continental shelf; the so called mesopelagic zone.

Hammerheads frequently hunt near the bottom and can dive down to 80 metres (260 metres).

Hammerhead shark food

The Hammerheads are predatory fishes that feed chiefly on fish, crustaceans, rays and cephalopods. They will sometimes hunt other sharks. When Hammerhead sharks hunts rays, they use their “hammer” to hold down the ray. When they have managed to catch a ray, they will eat of its wings bite by bite.    

Hammerhead shark communcation

Hammerhead sharks interact a lot with each other and use at least nine different communication methods. One of the more spectacular communication methods displayed by the Hammerhead shark involves violently shaking its head from side to side. It is probably a way of establishing dominance and is a part of the mating behaviour. It has only been witnessed in Hammerhead sharks in centre of large schools. The male Hammerhead shark never shakes his head in this matter; it is a way of communication carried out only by female Hammerhead sharks. When a female shakes her head, she creates strong pulses of water that radiates out from her place in the centre of the school. When female sharks smaller than her detect the pulses, they will swim away to the outskirts of the Hammerhead school. It is most likely also a way for the large female to gain the attention of male Hammerhead sharks in the school.

Hammerhead shark schools

Hammerhead sharks will frequently form really large schools, and one single school can be comprised of over 500 Hammerheads. This habit is not at all common shark behaviour, and shark experts still do not know exactly why the Hammerheads choose to school. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that they schools only exist during daytime. In the evening, each Hammerhead shark leaves the school and spends the night alone.

One clue to this behaviour might be found in the fact that really big Hammerhead sharks hardly ever take part in these schools. Schooling might therefore be a way for small and medium sized Hammerhead sharks to avoid being preyed upon by large predators. Within each Hammerhead school, there seems to be a well established order of dominance. Exactly where a Hammerhead will find itself in this order of dominance is determined by several factors, including the age of the shark, its size and whether it is male or female.