Species: Sphyrna zygaena, Smooth Hammerhead, Smooth Hammerhead Shark

pelvics not notched
Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus, 1758)
Smooth Hammerhead, Smooth Hammerhead Shark
A hammerhead shark with broad, narrow-blade lateral extensions on the head; width of hammer 26-29% of TL; front margin of head broadly convex, with prominent side indentations, but no central indentation; teeth similar in both jaws, oblique, deeply notched on rear side, weakly serrate in adults, rear teeth like front teeth; nostrils short, before eyes on head plane; five gill slits, last one over pectoral; 2 dorsal fins, first moderately large and erect, its rear margin concave, its free rear tip not reaching above level of pelvics; origin of second dorsal fin slightly behind origin of anal fin; free rear tip of 2nd dorsal ends well before tail fin base; second dorsal and pelvic fins low, rear edge of pelvic ~ straight; anal fin with rear margin prominently notched; transverse pit above tail base crescent shaped, a pit below tail base; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, notched under tip of top lobe, large lower lobe.
Dark olive to dark grey-brown on back and sides, white below; undersides of pectoral fin tips dusky.
Grows to 400 cm; reaches 25 y.
A coastal-pelagic and semi-oceanic hammerhead often sighted near the surface.
Depth: 0-200 m.
Circumglobal in tropical and temperate seas; Canada to Argentina.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- In & Offshore
- Inshore
- Offshore
- Water Column Position
-
- Mid Water
- Near Bottom
- Water column only
- Habitat
-
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
-
- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
-
- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Data
- Bony fishes
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Egg Type
-
- Data
- Live birth
- No pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
-
- All species
- Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Also in Brazil
- Continent
- Continent only
- Extends N + S of GC
- Extends North of GC
- Extends South of GC
- GC non-endemic
- All species
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
-
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Temperate (>35N)
- IUCN Red List
-
- Listed
- Vulnerable
- CITES
-
- Appendix II
- Listed
- Length Max
-
- 400
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 200