Great hammerhead shark lifestyle

Great hammerhead shark lifestyle

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The great hammerhead (*Sphyrna mokarran*) is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae[1][5].

**Description:** Great hammerhead sharks have a streamlined body and a characteristically shaped "hammer" called a cephalofoil[1]. The cephalofoil of the great hammerhead is wide with an almost straight front margin[1]. Their coloring ranges from dark brown to light gray to olive on top, fading to white underneath[1]. Adults have unmarked fins, while juveniles may have a dark tip on their second dorsal fin[1]. Great hammerheads have triangular, strongly serrated teeth, with 17 rows on either side of the upper jaw and 16–17 on either side of the lower jaw[1]. The first dorsal fin is tall and sickle-shaped, originating above the pectoral fins[1].

**Size:** Great hammerheads typically measure around 11 feet (3.5 m) long and weigh about 500 pounds (230 kg)[2][1][4]. However, they can reach a maximum length of 20 feet (6.1 m)[1][2][7]. The heaviest known great hammerhead was a pregnant female weighing 1,280 lb (580 kg)[1].

**Distribution and habitat:** Great hammerheads live in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide, between 40°N and 37°S[1]. They inhabit coastal areas, coral reefs, continental shelves, island terraces, lagoons, and deep water near land, from less than 3.3 feet (1 m) deep to 260 feet (80 m) offshore[1]. They can be found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans[1].

**Taxonomy:** The great hammerhead was first described as *Zygaena mokarran* in 1837 by German naturalist Eduard Rüppell[1]. The species name comes from the Arabic word for "horned"[1].

**Ecological role:** As apex predators, great hammerheads play a crucial role in more info maintaining balance and diversity in coastal great hammerhead shark lifestyle marine ecosystems by preying on species lower in the food chain and removing diseased or injured individuals[2].

**Threats:** Great hammerhead populations have declined substantially worldwide, leading to an assessment of critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2019[1]. They are heavily fished for their large fins, which are valuable in the shark fin soup market[1][2]. Climate change also poses a threat, as rising water temperatures can impact their prey availability and migratory patterns[2].

Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_hammerhead
[2] https://www.earthday.org/great-hammerhead/
[3] https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/sphyrna-mokarran/
[4] https://oceana.org/marine-life/great-hammerhead-shark/
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammerhead_shark
[6] https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sphyrna_mokarran/
[7] https://www.sharks.org/great-hammerhead-shark-sphyrna-mokarran
[8] https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/great-hammerhead-sphyrna-mokarran/