Facts about Scalloped Hammerhead
- 07
Hammerhead sharks exhibit sexual dimorphism where females grow significantly larger than males, with adult scalloped hammerheads reaching up to 4.2 meters compared to males averaging 3.5 meters in length.
- 06
Despite their apex predator status, scalloped hammerheads are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN due to overfishing that removes up to 100 million sharks annually from global oceans.
- 05
At depths exceeding 800 meters, scalloped hammerheads hunt lanternfish and other bioluminescent prey using their flattened heads to navigate the dark ocean floor.
- 04
Scalloped hammerheads migrate over 9,000 miles annually between breeding grounds in the Gulf of California and feeding areas in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
- 03
Pregnant scalloped hammerheads deliver 15 to 31 live pups per litter after a gestation period of approximately 11 months.
- 02
Scalloped hammerheads form schools of up to 4,000 individuals during the day in the Gulf of California, making them among the most gregarious shark species.
- 01
The distinctive hammer-shaped head of Sphyrna mokarran can span up to 20 feet across, housing electroreceptive organs that detect prey buried in sand.