The scalloped hammerhead is instantly recognisable by its flattened, T-shaped head with a scalloped front edge—the notch-like indentations along the leading margin set it apart from smooth-headed hammerhead species. Growing to around 4.3 metres, this shark is found in tropical and warm temperate waters, often in large schools during the day that disperse at night to hunt. The hammer-shaped head houses sensory organs spread across its width, helping the shark detect electrical signals from prey buried in the seafloor. Now critically endangered, scalloped hammerheads are heavily fished for their fins, and populations have declined dramatically across most ocean regions.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Elasmobranchii
- Order
- Carcharhiniformes
- Family
- Sphyrnidae
- Genus
- Sphyrna
Most likely to be seen at
Sites where its range and habitat make it likely — not yet confirmed by a logged sighting.