Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758)

Bonnet hammerhead

Species recognized by FishBase external link, R Froese & D Pauly (eds) in 
IUCN Red List Status: Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc) external link Showing: scientific names

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Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Sphyrna tiburo
Sphyrna tiburo
Sphyrna tiburo
Sphyrna tiburo
Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Table of Contents

General Description

Description

Source and Additional Information
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Shorefishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific Online Information System external link
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© Copyright 2008 to 2009 - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Some rights reserved external link
Author
Linnaeus, C.
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Common names: bonnethead (English), shark (English), tiburón (Espanol), cabeza (Espanol), cornuda (Espanol)
 
Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758)


Bonnethead,     Common bonnethead shark

A small hammerhead shark with a very narrow, rounded shovel-shaped head, without the prominent lateral-blade extensions of other hammerheads; width of head 18-25% (usually < 21%) of TL; front margin of head broadly convex and without indentations; length before mouth about 40% of head width; front teeth blade-like, with 1 short, stout point, lower teeth straight, upper teeth oblique, deeply notched on rear side;  enlarged keeled molariform teeth at back of jaws; first dorsal fin moderately large and erect, its rear margin concave; second dorsal fin base about half length of anal fin base; origin of second dorsal fin above middle of anal fin; anal fin rear edge shallowly concave; transverse pit above tail base crescent shaped, a pit below tail base; tail fin strongly asymmetrical, notched under tip of top lobe, large lower lobe.


Grey or grey brown on back and sides, whitish below; often small dark spots on back.


Maximum size about 150 cm, 10.8kg; size at birth 35-40 cm.

A common inshore hammerhead ranging into shallow estuaries.

From the intertidal zone to at least 80 m depth.

Western Atlantic and eastern Pacific (Southern California to Peru, Cocos and the Revillagigedos Islands.

Biology

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FishBase external link
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Some rights reserved external link
Recorder
Kent E. Carpenter
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Found on the continental and insular shelves, on inshore and coastal areas, over mud and sand bottoms, also on coral reefs. Often occur in shallow water including estuaries, shallow bays and over coral reefs (Ref. 9987). Feed mainly on crustaceans, also on bivalves, octopi, and small fish. Viviparous, with 6 to 9 young per litter. Size at birth about 35 to 40 cm. Not territorial. Always occurs in small groups. Considerable sexual segregation occurs. Shows diel rhythm of activity. Utilized for human consumption and processed for fishmeal.
References
"Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758)". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/224169". Accessed 19 Mar 2010.