The Great Hammerhead Shark

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The Great Hammerhead Shark Sharks are one of the most feared sea animals. They live in oceans across the world but are most common in tropical waters. There are over three hundred fifty species of sharks. They can be broadly categorized into the following four groups: Squalomorphii, Squatinomorphii, Batoidea, and Galeomorphii. The shark family Sphyrnidae that includes the Hammerheads are a part of the Galeomorphic classification. They are probably the most easily recognizable of all the sharks. The Hammerheads are among the strangest looking sharks. As the name indicates they have a flattened head which resembles the head of a hammer. Their eyes and nostrils are at the ends of the hammer. There are many species of Hammerheads. There are eight living species of hammerheads. The following four are the main categories: 1. Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)-Pectoral fins are tipped with black this grey shark. The maximum length is about 12 feet. 2. Bonnethead (Spyrna tiburo)-With a head shaped like a shovel the bonnethead rarely grows more than four feet long. This shark is commonly seen inshore. 3. Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)-Bronze with dusky fin tips, it can grow to thirteen feet. 4. Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)-Attaining a length of a possible 18 feet, this is the largest and most dangerous of all the hammerheads. The Great Hammerhead is a brownish gray to a dark olive green with white on their stomachs. They are the largest of the Hammerhead family. The can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. The hammerhead has wide set eyes on their mallet shaped head which allows them to scan the ocean for food. Great Hammerheads have a large range of prey to eat. Their diet it consists of fish, octopuses, squid, crustaceans, and Stingrays. Stingrays are a Hammerheads favorite; they use their head to pin down the ray and

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