How are hammerhead sharks different from other sharks?

Hammerhead sharks are known for their unique head shape and wide-set eyes, which give them a better visual range than most other sharks, but there’s a lot more to learn about these distinctive fish than what you may already know. The “hammer” shape of this unique shark’s head is called a cephalofoil.

Why is the hammerhead shark important?

As an apex predator (with a particular fondness for stingrays), the great hammerhead shark plays an important role in maintaining the health of coastal marine ecosystems. Great hammerhead fins, sold as “Gu Pian,” are highly prized in the Asian fin trade because of their large size and high needle count.

What are the adaptations of a hammerhead shark?

Hammerhead sharks have adapted to have sleek and aerodynamic bodies. This allows them to not only swim fast (at speeds clocked at 25 miles per hour), but it also allows them to make quick and sharp turns to both catch prey and avoid predators.

Do hammerhead sharks have noses?

The wide spacing between the nostrils may help broad-nosed sharks track down their prey much quicker than sharks with smaller, pointy-shaped heads, according to new research that reexamines how the animals smell. …

Why are hammerhead sharks shaped?

Hammerhead sharks are voracious predators and their mallet-shaped heads boost their ability to find that which they like to eat. The wide expanse of head allows for a broader spread of highly specialized sensory organs that they use to find food.

Do sharks sneeze?

Sharks have two nostrils (called nares) below their snout that are used for smelling, but they don’t join up to the back of the throat like our nose does, so they can’t sneeze like we do. If something floats into their nares, they might try to shake it out. Sharks breathe through the gills at the back of the mouth.

How do hammerhead sharks see forward?

A hammerhead can improve its stereoscopic vision even further by rotating its eyes and sweeping its head from side to side. The hammerhead species even have visual fields that overlap behind them, giving them a full 360 degree view of the world.