Hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that make up the family Sphyrnidae, named for the unusual and distinctive shape of their heads, which are flattened and extended laterally into a structure called a cephalofoil. The shark's eyes sit at each end of this T-shaped structure, with its small mouth centered directly beneath, and most hammerhead species belong to the genus Sphyrna, while the winghead shark is placed in its own genus, Eusphyra. Researchers have proposed several, not necessarily exclusive, functions for the cephalofoil, including sensory reception, maneuvering and prey manipulation, and it gives the shark superior binocular vision and depth perception along with increased surface area for electroreceptors.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or Extinct Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Wikidata: Hammerhead Shark
Sources
1. GBIF Species API
2. Wikipedia: Hammerhead shark
Wikipediaarticle text (relationship to people), EntityId 336745Quote, article text (relationship to people), EntityId 336745
Although they are not usually the primary target, hammerhead sharks are caught in fisheries all over the world.
View the Source 3. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ208490, descriptionView the Source Wikidata: Hammerhead Shark
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