Hammerhead Shark

Justin Tisseur

Description

The Hammerhead Shark is a fish in the Sphyrnidae family that can range from 0.9 to 6 m (3.0 to 20 ft) long and weighs from 3 to 580 kg (6.6 to 1,300 lb). Its head is shaped somewhat like a hammer and it's eyes are on the sides which gives it good 360º vision. Usually their skin is is light gray with a greenish tint and they have a white belly that helps then blend in and sneak up on their prey. Other than its head, the hammerhead shark looks like a normal shark. Even though they're the most recent group of sharks to evolve, they're known to date back to about 16-23 million years ago. The Hammerhead sharks are split into 9 different species; the Winghead Shark, Scalloped Bonnethead, Whitefin Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead, Scoophead, Great Hammerhead, Bonnethead, Smalleye Hammerhead, and the Smooth Hammerhead.

Habitat

Hammerhead Sharks live in tropical areas near the continental shelves and coastlines but all species of Hammerhead sharks live in different areas on Earth. They're able to survive in 3-262 feet of salt water.

Predator Adaptations

Hammerhead Sharks eat lots of things including fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans, stingrays, and other sharks. They use their head as a weapon to hold down their prey until their prey is weak and in shock and then then eat them. They also swim along the bottom of the ocean in order to stalk their prey. The Great Hammerhead species of Hammerhead Sharks are the biggest and sometimes even eat other Hammerhead Sharks. Some Great Hammerheads even eat their children.

Prey Adaptations

Hammerhead Sharks are apex predators like Tiger Sharks, which means that they have no predators except young Hammerhead Sharks are sometimes eaten by adult Hammerhead Sharks.

Symbiotic Interactions

The Hammerhead shark has a very intense symbiotic relationship with the Grey Bionclay Fly Fish. The Grey Bionclay Fly Fish lives inside the hammerhead Shark's left nostril and uses a vacuum like object on it's belly to suck out parasites. In return, the Hammerhead Shark provides these parasites as food for the Grey Bionclay Fly Fish. Once the grey Bionclay Fly Fish is full, it returns to its home on the coast of the Indian Ocean. This is similar to the symbiotic relationship between the Remora and other sharks.

Species Comparison: Tiger Shark

Similarities:

The Hammerhead Shark and Tiger Shark are both fish and part of the shark family. They both live in tropical regions and are apex predators.

Differences:

The Tiger Shark will eat almost anything put before it. The Tiger Shark doesn't have a hammer shaped head. The Hammerhead Shark is longer than the Tiger Shark but the Tiger Shark weighs more. The teeth of the Hammerhead Shark aren't as sharp as the teeth of the Tiger Shark.

Resources

"Hammerhead Shark." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 May 2013. Web. 24 May 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammerhead_shark

Hammerhead. Illustration. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 29 May 2013. http://quest.eb.com/images/309_366115

"Hammerhead Sharks." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 May 2013. http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0311684/hammerheadsharks.html

"The Hammerhead Shark." Hammerhead Shark. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2013. http://www.the-shark-side-of-life.com/hammerhead-shark.html

"Hammerhead Shark Behavior." Seaworld. SeaWorld, Inc, 2002. Web. 27 May 2013. http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/sharks&rays/behavior.html

"What Symbiotic Relationships Does the Hammerhead Shark Have?" WikiAnswers. Answers, 25 Feb. 2012. Web. 29 May 2013. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_symbiotic_relationships_does_the_hammerhead_shark_have