Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Squaliformes
- Family
- Sphyrnidae
- Genus
- Sphyrna
- Species
- lewini
Habitat
Scalloped hammerheads inhabit warm temperate and tropical waters worldwide, often near continental shelves, coral reefs, and oceanic islands. They prefer depths from the surface to about 500 meters and are commonly found in coastal areas with abundant prey. These sharks are more prevalent in regions like the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
Diet
Scalloped hammerheads primarily feed on a variety of fish such as sardines, mackerel, and herring, along with squid and crustaceans. They hunt in schools, using their wide head to pin down prey, and are most active during dawn and dusk. This feeding behavior helps them efficiently capture fast-moving schooling fish.
Behavior
Scalloped hammerheads are highly social, often forming large schools of up to hundreds of individuals, particularly juveniles for protection. They exhibit migratory patterns following warm currents and food sources, and are curious towards divers but can be territorial around feeding areas. These sharks are primarily active during the day, using their electroreceptors to detect prey buried in the sand.
Conservation Status
Listed as Endangered by IUCN.