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Is the giant hammerhead shark dangerous to humans? Sharks How does a hammerhead shark reproduce?

Amazing hammerhead shark

Family Hammerhead sharks Sphyrnidae

Hammerhead shark (hammerhead shark)

Hammerhead sharks are among the most mysterious species of selachians. What are the advantages and unique abilities Nature rewarded them by creating such an unusual head shape - a subject of thought for many scientists and naturalists.
But first, let's describe the composition of this family of predators.
Currently, nine species of hammerhead sharks are known, differing in body size, color, head shape and habitat. These predators of the order Carchariformes are relatives of gray, mustelid and cat sharks.
The hammerhead family consists of two genera, one of them (Eusphyra) contains a single species - wingtip shark(Eusphyra blochii). This predator, even among its sisters in the family, is distinguished by the breadth of its “hammer”, reaching half the body length in span.
The second genus (Sphyrna) includes eight species of hammerhead sharks. There are also small predators here, not reaching one and a half meters in length, and there are also giants exceeding six meters in size.

The body shape of hammerhead sharks is quite classic, shark-like. They have a torpedo-shaped, streamlined body, coloration varies from gray to brown in the dorsal region and lighter (to white) on the belly.
The first dorsal fin is very high and slightly curved; the second dorsal and pelvic fins are high with deeply concave posterior fields. The upper lobe of the caudal fin is significantly larger than the lower lobe.

The body color is often light gray or gray-brown on the dorsal side, white on the ventral side. There are usually no noticeable spots on the fins. Has a unique body color golden (or smalleye) hammerhead shark(Sphyrna tudes). Its color, indeed, has a bronze-gold tint. According to scientists, this is due to the fact that the basis of the diet of predators is made up of special shrimps containing a coloring “golden” pigment in the body.

The main distinguishing feature of the hammerhead shark family is the shape of their head - it is completely unusual in shape - hammer-shaped, T-shaped. U different types Hammerhead sharks have some distinctive features in the shape of their heads. At the edges of the T-shaped outgrowths on the shark's head there are eyes. On the lower part are the nostrils and special sensory organs, which are described below. Since the shark's eyes are on the sides of its body, it cannot see in front of it, so when moving, hammerhead sharks make lateral movements with their heads, which helps them increase their viewing angle by almost 360 degrees.

Hammerhead sharks eat small bony fish, crustaceans, squid, as well as small sharks and even stingrays, whose spines are often found in the stomachs of these sharks. Larger hammerhead sharks, especially basking hammerhead sharks, can feed on larger prey. The teeth of these sharks are smaller than those of the great white or tiger shark, they are very sharp, almost triangular shape. The size of this shark's teeth suggests that its traditional prey is not very large.

The hammerhead shark is a newborn species among other shark families. Many scientists believe that they appeared only 40 million years ago. But no one is really sure about this. We know too little about the origins of the hammerhead shark. Sharks almost never leave fossils, and this is the main source of information about the past of the animal.

What remains of ancient fish, whose skeletons consisted of strong bones, is detailed history evolution. But the skeleton of sharks consists mainly of cartilage, so usually only teeth and jaws remain. This means we have little evidence about the origins of hammerhead sharks.
The hammerhead shark is truly one of the most unusual sharks. Its appearance seems truly alien, but it is quite common in tropical seas around the world.
When you look at a hammerhead shark, only one question arises in your head - why does this animal have such a unique head shape? What is it for? And how did it come about? After all, nature does not create monsters. And if it creates by mistake, then they cannot withstand competition with “normal” species and die. It is even more strange that there are many varieties of hammerhead sharks of all shapes and sizes, at least 9 different species. Could nature really make so many mistakes and “give birth” to so many monsters that exist beautifully for millions of years?!
There are also large specimens of such sharks, giants among the family. Their length can reach 6 meters or more, and their weight can be almost half a ton. These are truly impressive sizes.

The shape of the body suggests that this is a shark, but there are still differences. Why did nature endow hammerhead sharks with such a unique appearance? The Hawaiian Islands are a place where sharks from all over the Atlantic are drawn like a magnet. The Hawaiian Institute is the center for the study of hammerhead sharks. marine biology. It was here that they began to look for a connection between the biology of sharks and attacks on people, hoping that by studying their movement and method of feeding, it would be possible to understand what makes some sharks dangerous.

Biologists have always believed that the shark's head acquired the hammer shape we now see gradually, over millions of years. And what is known is that the streamlined head shape typical of a shark expanded every generation by a tiny distance. Millions of years later, the hammerhead sharks we know today appeared.

But recent genetic research data has completely overturned this theory. Now some scientists believe that the hammer did not appear as a result of gradual changes, but was the result of a sudden, bizarre mutation. Nature does sometimes give birth to freaks, but they almost never survive. Sometimes it turns out that one of these mutants survives, and then a new one is born. Was the first hammerhead shark one of these freaks? It is only possible that the terribly deformed head instilled in her new way existence. Her eyes were so slanted to the sides that she could not look straight, making it impossible to hunt using her sight. All that was left was to either adapt or die.

Having sunk to the bottom, she began to rely on other senses in search of food and turned into a skilled hunter, honing the craft of food extraction to a unique degree. In searching for food, the hammerhead shark is mainly helped not by its eyes, but by special receptors of electromagnetic pulses (they are also called sensory organs), which are emitted by any Living being. Despite the fact that these impulses are extremely weak, especially in small living creatures, they can also be felt through such obstacles that become an obstacle to normal vision. It has been established that a shark can catch electrical discharges one millionth of a volt. The hammerhead shark “sees” potential prey through a layer of sand (if a fish or crustacean tries to hide in this way), and can sense prey hidden under a stone or in algae.

The electromagnetic pulse receptors are located on the bottom of the hammer head of the shark, so when it moves near the bottom, the movements of its head resemble the movements of a mine detector in the hands of a miner. After all, the principle of operation of shark receptors is the same as that of a mine detector. Only the subject of the search is not an explosive device, but a food source. Combined with a keen sense of smell, electroreceptors turn the hammerhead shark into a very skilled hunter and dangerous predator.

Many species of sharks have electromagnetic pulse receptors, called the “sixth sense” by scientists, but it was the hammerhead shark that developed the use of this sense to perfection. Electromagnetic pulse receptors, tiny pores located under the chin of sharks, allow them to detect tiny electrical currents and magnetic radiation produced by all living things.
These currents travel a short distance in the water, so in order to feel them, the shark must swim very close to the victim. The researchers compared the hunting patterns of two species of sharks, the hammerhead and the sandbar, which are very similar except for the shape of their heads.

It turned out that both fish have the same sense of prey hidden in the sand or at the bottom, but the hammerhead shark, due to the shape of its head and the ability to maneuver it, can scan a much larger area of the bottom surface where potential prey may be located in the same time, and this gives her a better chance of finding food. But finding the prey is only half the battle. Scientists were very surprised by the dexterity that the hammerhead shark exhibits at the moment of attack. This is the most agile and mobile fish, mainly due to the shape of its head. They can change the angle of attack by turning their heads in one direction or another. If you compare their agility with the agility of an ordinary shark with a cylindrical shape, the result will not be in favor of the latter.
It may seem like science fiction, but this theory really explains the appearance of such a strange hammer-shaped head.

The evolutionary history of the hammerhead shark has been very successful. These days they are one of the most commonly found shark species in the world, and in some places they gather in astounding numbers. Hundreds of individuals cruise around seamounts. Few other shark species form such large schools. This is one of the ocean's biggest secrets. Why do so many of these sharks gather in one place, at one time? Oddly enough, in these huge flocks the majority are female, and we do not yet know why this happens.

Hammerhead sharks are breeding in an unusual way: Unlike most fish, they are viviparous. In the mother's body, the fetus develops and is nourished using a system similar to the mammalian placenta, but in born sharks the hammerhead is turned back towards the body. This makes their birth easier. With age, the head acquires the famous T-shape that distinguishes adult sharks. But why are these sharks viviparous when almost all other fish are oviparous?

For example, the small deep-sea catshark lays eggs every few weeks and firmly attaches them to different nooks and crannies. These primary eggs are expelled from the body before the offspring can develop on their own. Small catsharks grow inside an egg capsule and one of the first organs that can be identified is a tiny heart. For several weeks she will feed on the valuable yolk sac left by her mother. They are born tiny and defenseless, and few survive.

Hammerhead sharks have the opposite strategy. When the calf is born, it is already about 50 centimeters in length and swims well. It's necessary. The local waters are full of predators, and the faster the offspring move, the greater their chances of survival.

The large concentration of hammerhead sharks makes the bay off Cocos Island a mecca for shark biologists. The hammerhead shark seems like a strange creature to people, especially because of the shape of its head, and we tend to treat everything strange with fear and distrust. Hammerhead sharks have this strange shape, that many questions arise regarding the evolution of this unusual structure, why did it appear, what is it suitable for, if it has some function, then what is it?

Because of this elongation, the shark's eyes were located at the edges of the hammer. Humans primarily navigate using their eyes, which is why we have binocular vision. It is difficult for us to imagine how one can exist when the eyes look into different sides. And we automatically start to think that this is definitely inconvenient compared to what we are used to. It is clear that these sharks are not able to see straight ahead like other sharks. But without seeing what's ahead, she sees the world through her peripheral vision. Movement from side to side helps fill the gap, but this is hardly what you would expect from a predator. The eyes are protected by nictitating membranes. Along the edges of the head there are nostrils, as well as pores on the surface of the head - the same electromagnetic receptors or sensory organs, with their help the shark detects the electric field of its prey.

At the bottom of the bay, young sharks learn to hunt. In shallow water, the skin quickly darkens. They are the only known animals that can sunbathe, besides us. If a hammerhead shark goes hunting, you need to be on guard - these sharks are very dangerous for humans.

The meat, liver and especially the fins of hammerhead sharks are very tasty, which is why hammerhead sharks are a valuable fishery target. Shark skin is also valuable, and carcass waste is processed into fishmeal.

Below is a description of the largest of the hammerhead sharks - the basking shark.

Giant hammerhead shark(Sphyrna mokarran) - as the name suggests, these sharks are the largest among the hammerhead sharks. Their average length The body length is 4 - 5 meters, but larger individuals are also found. In addition, the giant hammerhead shark has an almost square hammer shape on its head, which is hallmark of this type.
Widely distributed in tropical and temperate waters of all oceans, except, of course, the Arctic. It is most often found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, in the area of Hawaii, the Philippines, New Zealand and many other seas of warm and warm-temperate latitudes.
Unlike other sharks, this family does not reach high numbers anywhere and does not form large schools.
Can reach a length of more than 6 meters - was caught off the coast of New Zealand giant hammerhead shark 7 meters 89 centimeters long and weighing 363 kilograms, but usually its length does not exceed 4.5 meters.

Although the basking hammerhead shark is potentially dangerous, cases of attacks on humans are very rare. The reason is that she is a rare guest in densely populated coastal areas. The most frequent cases of attacks by these sharks on swimmers have been recorded on the shallow beaches of the Hawaiian Islands, Florida and the Philippines. This is due to the fact that these areas are the main breeding grounds for hammerhead sharks.
Unusual appearance and big sizes often attract curious divers to the hammerhead shark who are not averse to having fun with unusual fish and play with own life. The hammerhead shark's mouth is lined with small but very sharp teeth. When fighting with her, staying alive is a great success.

The giant hammerhead shark is of great interest for commercial fishing - it is caught in large quantities due to its large and tasty fins, which are very valuable in the Asian market - they are used to prepare the famous shark fin soup. As a result, the already small population of the giant hammerhead shark is rapidly declining. And now this amazing fish is on the list of endangered animals.

The species giant hammerhead shark is listed in the International Red Book.

The common hammerhead shark belongs to the family of hammerhead sharks of the order Carchariformes class cartilaginous fish- like the rest of her relatives. It was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a famous naturalist from Sweden. It is also called the smooth hammerhead shark or the common hammerfish.

Smooth - because it does not have a depression in the outer edge of the “hammer”, characteristic of other types, due to which it is shaped like a bow. Currently, eight species of hammerhead sharks are known to science, these are the hammerfish - roundhead, West African, Panamo-Caribbean, bronze and smallhead, as well as hammerhead sharks - giant, smalleye giant and common.

Gigantic hammerhead shark Sphyrna mokarran is found in tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, but does not reach large numbers, its length reaches six meters.

The small-eyed basking shark Scalloped Hammerhead is found in the Eastern and Western Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, its length does not exceed 4.5 meters. The common hammerhead shark is similar to the giant shark in almost every way except its length.

Of the entire family, this species has the widest habitat - it can be found in almost all oceans, except the Arctic Ocean and waters tropical zone. It is difficult to determine the exact boundaries of the hammerhead shark’s habitat due to its strong similarity to other species of hammerhead sharks.

As a rule, it stays closer to the surface at a depth of less than twenty meters - but there have been recorded cases of encountering it at depths of up to 200m. This species prefers coastal waters, but it can also be found in the open ocean, and even sometimes in fresh waters rec.

In summer, the hammerhead shark migrates to the poles, where it is cooler, and in winter it returns to the equator.

It is the second largest hammerhead shark - the basking hammerhead comes first. The length of an ordinary hammerhead shark is within 3.5 m. The largest length of this species encountered by people is 5 m, and its weight is 400 kg.

It is distinguished from other hammerhead sharks by the shape of its head - its “hammer” is curved along the front edge, and there is no notch in the center; it is quite wide and short, making up about 29% of the body length in diameter.

The “hammer” is actually its large and flat nose, on which the nostrils are located - closer to the edges of the “hammer”, long grooves go from them along the entire edge right to the center - they help the hammerhead fish to catch odors. Scientists believe that the shark uses this “hammer” as a rudder.

Its eyes are located on the sides of the “hammer”; they are large, golden-yellow and protected by eyelids. Five small gill slits, the last located above the pectoral fin.

There are up to 32 rows of teeth in the upper jaw and up to 30 rows of teeth in the lower jaw. The teeth are triangular in shape, beveled towards the corners of the mouth. The shark's body is streamlined, the body is covered with placoid scales with sharp edges, like most sharks. The skin color is dark brown or olive, the belly is white.

The tips of the fins may be darker. The pectoral fins and the first dorsal fin have a strongly pointed shape. There are two dorsal fins in total - the large triangular first dorsal fin is located immediately behind the pectoral fin, and the second dorsal fin is relatively small and has a sharp, seemingly elongated posterior edge.

Anal fin slightly larger than the second dorsal fin. The triangular pectoral fins are 2/3 the length of the hammerhead shark's head. Her body is slender, spindle-shaped and very flexible. The hammerhead shark is an excellent swimmer; it can reach considerable speed and maneuvers well.

As a rule, the common hammerhead shark lives alone or in small schools. During migration they may gather large quantities- up to hundreds and even thousands of individuals. Their young are preyed upon by larger sharks, for example, the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus. And in New Zealand waters, adults can become the target of attack by a pod of killer whales.

The hammerhead fish, or common hammerhead shark, is a very active predator. Its diet is very diverse - stingrays, bony fish and sharks, even relatives, and at worst cephalopods, crabs and shrimp. Flounder and stingrays are her favorite delicacy, which is why she prefers muddy bottoms most of all.

Its prey will not be saved by burying itself in the mud - after all, with its unusual head, the hammerhead shark catches electric fields, which her victims generate - sometimes she rushes onto seemingly empty ground and triumphantly pulls out her prey.

Even stingray scans do not scare her; many of their poisonous spines are found in the stomachs of hammerhead sharks. Most likely, the common hammerhead shark has a strong immunity to the venom of stingrays, which allows it to eat them without hindrance. She is also not afraid of her relatives and larger sharks, and on occasion she will eat them too.

The hammerhead shark is viviparous; its litter can contain 20 or more sharks. Pregnancy lasts up to 11 months, newborns can be up to 61cm long. Embryos are connected to the mother's body through the placenta. Females become sexually mature when they reach a length of 2.7 meters, and males - 2.1-2.5 meters.

The lifespan of the common hammerhead shark is 20 years. This is one of ancient fish According to scientists, this species has existed on the planet for about 25 million years. It outnumbers many other species of hammerhead sharks. She looks terrifying. Everyone who has seen it considers it the most terrible fish in the ocean. Its description can be found on the pages of Jules Verne's novels.

This shark is potentially dangerous to humans, among the most dangerous predators it ranks third - after white and tiger sharks. Cases of hammerhead shark attacks on humans have been recorded, some with fatal consequences, and a human torso was found in the stomach of one of them. As a rule, cases of attacks become more frequent during the breeding season, because for this it goes into coastal waters, so beloved by swimmers, and popular beach places.

Therefore, you should never enter the water unless the beach is fenced with anti-shark nets. Another reason for shark aggression may be hunger - if suddenly its favorite food disappears in its usual habitat, it may well replace it with a human.

With the end of the breeding season, cases of hammerhead shark attacks on humans become extremely rare. In short, you need to try really hard to get a hammerhead shark to attack you. However, experts believe that any shark as long as more than a meter poses a danger to humans.

Sharks can smell blood in water even in the smallest concentration. According to official statistics, from 40 to 300 people die annually from attacks by all large sharks. It is impossible to say exactly what proportion of this number are killed by the common hammerhead shark.

If suddenly, while at depth, you find a hammerhead shark nearby, try not to move, flounder or wave your arms and legs so as not to attract its attention - wait for help or swim slowly into the coastal waters. Try not to touch the shark's body - you can easily get hurt by the scales covering its skin, and then it will definitely show interest in you, smelling your blood. Be as careful as possible - then you will have a pretty good chance of staying alive.

But the common hammerhead shark itself is also an object of industrial fishing around the world for humans. Shark meat is dried, smoked and salted, but it is little valued, and there are cases of poisoning. But its fins take the number one place in the ranking for making shark fin soup.

Therefore, most often the hunt for hammerhead sharks is barbaric in nature - they are caught, their fins are cut off and thrown back into the water to die. Shark oil is added to vitamins, the skin is tanned, and the offal is suitable for production. fishmeal. Hammerhead shark is widely used to make all kinds of medicines in Chinese medicine.

According to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, this species of hammerhead shark is “vulnerable”, and it is listed with this status in the Red Book. In many countries, catching these fish for the purpose of obtaining fins has already been prohibited, and in New Zealand, hunting for them is completely prohibited.

This animal belongs to the class of cartilaginous fish and is part of the order Carchariformes. The family to which the hammerhead fish belongs is called hammerhead sharks.

The main “highlight” in the appearance of this fish is undoubtedly its head, or, more precisely, its shape. The front part ends in long and narrow projections diverging horizontally to the sides. This whole “structure” resembles a construction tool – a hammer. Hence the name of the animal.

Scientists know nine species of hammerhead sharks, differing in color, size, head shape and the waters in which they live. This whole family is divided into two genera: Eusphyra and Sphyrna. In the first group there is only one representative - the wing-headed shark. Her “hammer” is equal in size to almost half of her body, and the width of her head differs from other representatives of this family. There are eight more “sisters” in the second group, the largest of which can reach 6 meters. This entire family is related to felids, mustelids and gray sharks.

Many people are attracted by the way the hammerfish looks. The body of the predator is practically no different from the shark we are used to. It has a streamlined shape, and the color varies depending on the genus. Basically, the back is dark (gray, brown), and the belly is light. But it is the head that is of particular interest. Its shape is T-shaped. The structure of the head itself depends on the “breed” of the predator, it can be large or, on the contrary, have a small size. But the main thing is that each individual has a unique shape, which is why it is called a hammerfish. The eyes are located at the ends of the “processes” of the head. These fish are able to see 360 degrees. It is interesting that in these predators the vision depends on the latitude of the “hammer”. The larger it is, the better the area in front of it is visible.

Hammerhead sharks are a fast, cunning and extremely resourceful predator that is not afraid of almost anything and easily attacks humans. On the “danger pedestal,” the hammerhead shark ranks third, behind only the white and tiger sharks. History contains many exciting facts that are associated with hammerhead fish. For example, in one of these sharks caught, the corpse of a man was discovered, which entirely fit into the belly of this merciless killer.

Its usual habitat is warm waters, however, this does not prevent the shark from feeling quite comfortable in cool northern waters. Possessing body length from 4 to 7 meters, the hammerfish is “armed” amazing abilities an unsurpassed predator, which are reflected in the structure of her strong and incredibly flexible body.

Evolution, which has been perfecting this shark for more than two tens of millions of years, has endowed it with everything it needs. Ultra-strong, razor-sharp teeth, which are arranged in several rows, and are capable of literally tearing apart any victim in a matter of seconds. The natural camouflage coloring of the body makes it practically invisible in the water column.

Powerful fins and strong muscles allow them to develop tremendous speed. Unparalleled sensory organs are capable of finding prey many kilometers away, perceiving electromagnetic signals, sensing blood and even the fear of their prey. And the shark’s head itself, which is shaped like a hammer, gives the predator phenomenal maneuverability, becoming a movement stabilizer and leaving virtually no chance for the prey to escape.

All this suggests that if a hammerhead fish has chosen a target, then there is little that can save that target. The weight of a hammerhead shark can reach several hundred kilograms, and the largest specimen caught weighed 363 kilograms, with a length of almost 8 meters.

The hammerhead fish is at the top of the food chain, without any direct enemies. This allows her to attack any fish and mammals that live in the area without much risk. sea waters. The cunning, strength and dexterity of this predator are very often the key to victory over an opponent larger than itself.

The hammerhead shark, like its closest relatives - other sharks, does not have an air bubble in the structure of its body. To maintain its buoyancy, it has to constantly move, which means looking for prey and always being “alert.” It is almost impossible to take this shark by surprise. She always imposes her terms of the “game” on the victim and always turns out to be the winner.

The shape of the head is not the only thing that attracts hammerhead fish. The description of how these predators reproduce is also surprising. They are viviparous, while other fish spawn. Mothers carry their young in much the same way as mammals. At birth, the baby’s “hammer” is turned towards the body in order to be born without difficulty. Gradually, the head of the fish becomes like that of adults.

At one time, a mother can bring from 15 to 30 babies, who are already “taught” to swim well. The length of each reaches approximately half a meter. But after a few months they become one meter tall and show aggression, like all adults.

The hammerhead shark menu is quite intricate. And if the basis of the diet is crabs, shrimp, shellfish, fish and squid, then the real delicacy for predators is flounder and stingrays, which is why many sharks have chosen a habitat related to this type of prey - the muddy bottom of the sea.

Larger inhabitants of the ocean also happened to be on the menu, including stingrays, whose poisonous spines did not cause any harm to predators. It seems that the shark’s body is capable of developing immunity to the poisons of the living creatures that they are not averse to feeding on.

If a predator has spotted a prey, the latter, given the speed and maneuverability of the shark, has very little chance of salvation. And due to the fact that the bodies of all creatures emit electrical signals, potential prey has no chance of hiding in the ground.

Driven by emitted impulses, the hammerhead shark unerringly finds shelter and removes the resisting prey from the sand.

Since the hammerhead shark is a pelagic fish, it chooses a depth from the surface of the ocean to 400 meters in depth. However, these predators happen to swim into lagoons and coastal areas.

As for geographical preferences, these fish are comfortable with the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

However, the northern European shores are also familiar with this individual with a sledgehammer instead of a head. But the most favorite place of all hammerhead predators, where they are drawn by an unknown magnetic force, is the Hawaiian Islands. Therefore, it was the Hawaiian Institute of Marine Biology that became the main center for the study of these fish.

The unusual shape of the head sets the hammerhead shark apart from all other sharks. Despite all the fame and cinematic popularity of the white shark, not everyone will accurately identify its species when they meet it, but the hammerhead shark will not be confused with any other.

How did it happen that fate rewarded this individual with such a remarkable appearance? There are several versions on this matter.

If we adhere to the basic theory, then the characteristic “hammer”, instead of the standard wedge-shaped head, was formed gradually and for a very long time, over many millions of years, with each passing era expanding a little more in breadth and, in Eventually, acquiring the form we see today.

Who knows, maybe the process is not completed yet and after a couple of temporary turns the shark’s head will look completely terrifying?

However, recent genetic studies have shattered previous assumptions about the results obtained during numerous examinations. Some scientists are inclined to believe that these sharks acquired their exclusive head shape suddenly - as a result of an unexpected mutation.

Due to its size, powerful jaws, and overall creepy appearance, this predator has no direct enemies in its habitat. It is unlikely that any of the underwater animals will dare to attack such a monster. It is not recommended for people to approach this insidious creature.

She may swim past and not pay attention to the diver, but it is better not to provoke her. Of such powerful jaws Unfortunately, there is little chance of escape.

In some Asian countries, these sharks are popular among fishermen; real hunts are organized for them. It is believed that the liver of hammerhead fish is rich in fats that are valuable for the human body. The bones of this fish are used to make so-called bone meal.

The world that is close to us, but difficult to study and observe, is undersea world. Despite the fact that it is very close, it has been studied less than the surface of Mars. Nevertheless, people are interested in the unusual, and sometimes mysterious, inhabitants of this kingdom. Even toy manufacturers are stirring up this interest: for example, the giant hammerhead shark CO.MAXI, released not long ago by DeAgostini, makes children wonder what kind of creature this is, how it lives and how dangerous it is.

Description

The body of this fish is similar to that of its relatives, except for the unique shape of the skull. The giant hammerhead shark is the largest representative of not only the hammerhead family, but also one of the largest sharks in general. Apart from the Arctic, these fish can be found in all oceans. This predator often appears even off the rather cold shores of the Primorsky Territory of Russia - in the summer they are frequent guests in the Sea of Japan.

It is noticeably different from its relatives in the unique structure of the skull - on the head of the fish there is a growth in the shape of a regular rectangle. Its span is 25-27% of the entire body, while the anterior edge is curved very slightly. This shark's mouth is shaped like a strongly curved sickle. The teeth are quite small, triangular, their edges are jagged. There are 17 rows of teeth in the upper jaw of a shark, and 16-17 in the lower jaw.

All shark fins are shaped like a sickle. The largest is the anterior dorsal one. Distinctive feature of young individuals is the dark corner of the posterior dorsal fin. The trailing edge of all fins has significant curvature.

The body is unevenly colored: dark brown, gray and olive on the back, very light, almost white, on the belly. No spots or patterns were observed on any individual.

The giant hammerhead shark, the description of which can kill the desire to frolic in the ocean waves, has such a name for a reason. The average body length is 4-5 meters. However, much larger specimens were also encountered. It is not uncommon for fish to be about 6 meters long, but the largest shark caught was 7.89 m long. The weight of the most impressive individuals can exceed 500 kg. The highest weight was recorded for a female pregnant with fifty-five cubs - 580 kg.

Habitat

The giant hammerhead shark does not have a clear habitat - it likes to travel to different regions. You can see it both in the island and shelf zones of the seas and oceans. She appears in temperate latitudes, and in tropical ones.

The Atlantic Ocean is “mastered” by sharks from Uruguay to North Carolina, from Senegal to Morocco. Fish swims into the Mediterranean and Caribbean Sea, into the Gulf of Mexico.

In the Pacific and Indian oceans, the giant hammerhead shark is found almost everywhere: both off the coast of Australia and off Polynesia. You can meet it from Peru to Southern California.

There is information, but it is not documented, that individual specimens were caught off the coast of Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The shark prefers to spend time in coastal areas, hunting in the water column from the surface to at least 80 meters deep. Prefers to live in lagoons and coral reefs. It may choose a cozy place on the slopes of the islands or look for deep-sea places near the shore.

It has been noted that sharks are subject to seasonal migrations: in the warm season they head to higher latitudes.

Nutrition

The giant hammerhead shark, like any other representative of this species of fish, is a predator. She eats most of the time bony fish, crustaceans, reef (and if you're lucky, even larger) sharks, stingrays. He is very fond of seahorses and poisonous stingrays. The spines of stingrays do not interfere with the predator at all - there are known cases when hundreds of these tools were stuck in the belly of a caught individual. Sometimes attacks marine mammals. There are known cases of attacks on people.

Behavior

For the most part, hammerhead sharks are loners. For hunting they use electrosensory senses, smell and binocular vision.

Reproduction

The giant hammerhead shark, a photo of which can make you give up diving, produces offspring every two years. The gestation period of embryos is 11 months. One litter can contain from 6 to 55 cubs, but such a number is rare. On average, fish bring from 20 to 40 fry. The length of newborns is 50-70 cm.

Unlike other sharks, these sharks prefer to mate near the surface of the water. Puberty occurs when the female grows to 2.5-3 meters. Males only need to reach 2.3-2.7 meters in length.

These fish live on average 20-30 years, but there are also those whose life lasts more than half a century.

Danger

In the ranking of the most dangerous creatures For humans, this fish is in the top ten (among the inhabitants of the ocean). However, in reality, shark attacks do not occur very often. Divers who met her in the water claim that most often she does not show aggression, but only curiosity. However, you shouldn’t rely too much on this when you sink to the bottom. More than one is known per person.

The main reason for the rarity of cannibalism among these sharks is its infrequent occurrence in densely populated areas. The most cases of attacks were recorded in the Philippines, Hawaii and the Florida Islands - it is in these areas that most hammerhead sharks prefer to breed.

Fishing

Despite the high danger of this fish for humans, the latter represents where great danger for the whole look. High taste qualities shark fins have led to active fishing for this fish. They are especially fond of it in Asian countries - in these regions fish are being destroyed at a gigantic rate. Currently, its numbers are very small and continue to decline. These days, the hammerhead shark is endangered. It is for this reason that it was listed in the International Red Book. Which, however, does not prevent certain groups of people from continuing to engage in its fishing.

Hammerhead shark- one of the most unusual creatures of nature. The eccentric appearance of the hammerhead shark inspires wonder mixed with fear, especially to those who have to encounter it for the first time. In addition to the outlandish shape of the head, this predator is also quite different large sizes: The average length of hammerhead sharks is just over 4 meters, with some specimens reaching 7-8 meters.

Its unusual appearance and impressive dimensions do not prevent this fish from developing high speed and exhibiting rare maneuverability. The characteristics of the predator include its ferocity of character: it is believed that it is almost impossible to emerge victorious in a fight with this shark. There are many mysteries surrounding the hammerhead fish.

And although many surprising features of shark behavior have already been revealed by scientists, some questions still remain unanswered. So what is known today about the hammerhead shark - a creature whose predatory grin quickens your breath and freezes your heart when you look at it?

The hammerhead shark is a newborn species in the shark family. It is believed that they appeared only 40 million years ago. But no one is really sure about this. We know too little about the origins of the hammer. Sharks almost never leave fossils, and this is the main source of information about the past of the animal.

Ancient fish, whose skeletons consisted of strong bones, left a detailed history of evolution. But the skeleton of sharks consists mainly of cartilage, so usually only teeth and jaws remain. This means we have little evidence about the origins of hammerhead sharks.

Nature does sometimes give birth to freaks, but they almost never survive. Sometimes it turns out that one of these mutants survives, and then a new one is born. Was the first hammerhead shark one of these freaks? It is only possible that the terribly deformed head instilled in her a new way of existence.

Her eyes were so slanted to the sides that she could not look straight, making it impossible to hunt using her sight. All that was left was to either adapt or die.
Having sunk to the bottom, she began to rely on other senses in search of food and turned into the skilled hunter we know today.

It may seem like science fiction, but this theory really explains the appearance of such a strange hammer-shaped head.
The evolutionary history of the hammerhead shark has been very successful. These days they are one of the most commonly found shark species in the world, and in some places they gather in astounding numbers.

Hundreds of individuals cruise around seamounts. Few other shark species form such large schools. This is one of the ocean's biggest secrets. Why do so many of these sharks gather in one place, at one time? Oddly enough, in these huge flocks the majority are female, and we do not yet know why this happens.

When gathering in schools, sharks send signals to each other by changing their posture or sharply moving their heads. At least nine different signals were recorded; perhaps there are many more. Some signals are clear warnings; as for the meanings of others, we can only guess.

The largest and most aggressive females compete for the best place in the center of the school, because males tend here in search of the strongest females. Mating of hammerhead sharks has not yet been studied. This is what it is a rare event that almost no one has ever observed it. Females are often covered in battle scars. During mating, males bite into their partner with their teeth, and in warm tropical waters the wounds quickly become infected.

Hammerhead sharks reproduce in an unusual way: unlike most fish, they are viviparous. In the mother's body, the fetus develops and is nourished using a system similar to the mammalian placenta, but in born sharks the hammerhead is turned back towards the body. This makes their birth easier. With age, the head acquires the famous T-shape that distinguishes adult sharks. But why are these sharks viviparous when almost all other fish are oviparous?

For several weeks she will feed on the valuable yolk sac left by her mother. They are born tiny and defenseless, and few survive.

The large concentration of hammerhead sharks makes the bay off Cocos Island a mecca for shark biologists. The hammerhead shark seems like a strange creature to people, especially because of the shape of its head, and we tend to treat everything strange with fear and distrust. Hammerhead sharks have such a strange shape that many questions arise regarding the evolution of this unusual structure, why did it appear, what is it suitable for, if it has some function, then what is it?

It is clear that these sharks are not able to see straight ahead like other sharks. But without seeing what's ahead, she sees the world through her peripheral vision. Movement from side to side helps fill the gap, but this is hardly what you would expect from a predator. The eyes are protected by nictitating membranes. There are nostrils along the edges of the head, as well as pores on the surface of the head - with their help, the shark detects the electric field of its prey.

At the bottom of the bay, young sharks learn to hunt. In shallow water, the skin quickly darkens. They are the only known animals that can sunbathe, besides us. If a shark is out hunting, you need to be alert.

Why does the family sphyrnidae (hammerheads) need such a head shape? This is a question that biologist Stephen Kajiura from Florida Atlantic University set out to resolve in 2009. His team managed to catch six alive and healthy hammerhead sharks from three different species, and they were taken to a specially built pond in the university building.

Microscopic electrodes connected to research equipment were inserted into the sharks' corneas. Each hammerhead shark was restrained and shown a picture of a series of lights in front of each of its eyes, while instruments recorded the electrical activity of the fish's eyes. According to research results, it has been established that the peripheral vision of hammerhead predators is three times superior to the vision of sharks of other species!

But, on the other hand, the hammerhead shark has acquired a large dead zone in front of its nose, the picture of which is inaccessible to its eyes. That’s why hammerheads try to move their heads more actively from side to side, reducing the dead zone of vision.

According to the head of the research, Michel McComb, a potential victim of hammerheads should stay in an area inaccessible to view and she may openly laugh at the predator who has suddenly lost sight of the object of the hunt. At the end of the research, all sharks were released back into their habitat alive and healthy - the number of hammerhead sharks is falling every year.

Kula hammer prefers to hunt in a group of relatives; the 3D image received by its brain allows the predator not to be left without prey in the bottom waters. Shrimp and crabs, stingrays and octopuses, various bottom fish - they have little chance of escaping from a shark armed with precise natural sensors.

Hammerhead sharks, according to ichthyologists, are the latest evolutionary development of nature, which appeared not so long ago (about 20 million years ago). The ancestor of the family was the giant hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran), and it was from it that smaller species of hammerheads evolved – this was the conclusion reached by Andrew Martin, a biologist from the University of Colorado.

According to the scientist, the reason for the origin of smaller hammerhead sharks is associated with early puberty, i.e. predators once stopped needing the protection that a large body provides and directed their energy towards reproduction.

Hammerhead sharks have an advantage over other families of predators - their flat and wide head contains larger number sensors (for example, ampullae of Lorenzini), which allows them to find invisible prey hidden by a layer of sand.

Data from visual observation and readings from electric pulse sensors are summarized and combined together - the hammerhead shark receives complete information, the picture contains “marks” where a potential victim may be located. And here the low position of the predator’s mouth is very convenient - to grab and swallow bottom inhabitants.

Humanity is trying to invent perfect sensors for industrial and research purposes, but hammerhead sharks already have them - evolution has taken care of it.

Bighead Hammerfish(Eusphyra blochii) is one of the representatives of the hammerhead shark family, which was isolated in own gender. This species is distinguished from its closest relatives by incredibly long and narrow lateral outgrowths on the head, topped with eyes (this is clearly visible in the photo). Often the width of the muzzle is 40-50% of the length of the fish’s body (usually the length of a shark does not exceed 1.85 m).

The first specimens of the large-headed hammerhead were described by Georges Cuvier back in 1817, but only in 1822 this fact was certified by a notary and the perevelina species as a separate genus. Subsequent DNA analysis of the greathead shark showed that it cannot be considered the ancestor of other hammerhead fish, such as the basking hammerhead shark. This species appeared unexpectedly and has survived to this day, and representatives of the genus Sphyrna later evolved from other fish species.

Distributed bighead hammerhead in shallow waters and continental shelves from the Persian Gulf to the Philippines, in the coastal waters of southern China, Taiwan, and throughout Oceania up to the coast of northern Australia.

The shark's body color is gray or gray-brown on top, paler underneath. It feeds mainly on small bony fish, and less often eats crustaceans and cephalopods.

Like other sharks, the bighead lays eggs with embryos. Young animals are born at the beginning of the season monsoon rains(April-May), mating takes place in June-August. Thus, females carry eggs for about 8 months. Young individuals at birth are 32-45 cm long; they become sexually mature when they reach a size of about 110 cm.

Apparently, the large-headed hammerhead fish does not pose any danger to humans. In India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Thailand, these sharks are popular fisheries. Their meat is used for food, the liver is rich in fat, and the remains are used to make bone meal.

The common hammerhead shark belongs to the family of hammerhead sharks of the order Carchariformes, class of cartilaginous fish - like the rest of its relatives. It was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a famous naturalist from Sweden. It is also called the smooth hammerhead shark or the common hammerfish.

Smooth - because it does not have a depression in the outer edge of the “hammer”, characteristic of other types, due to which it is shaped like a bow. Currently, eight species of hammerhead sharks are known to science, these are the hammerheads - roundhead, West African, Panamo-Caribbean, bronze and smallhead, as well as the hammerhead sharks - giant, smalleye giant and common.

The small-eyed giant shark Scalloped Hammerhead is found in the Eastern and Western Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, its length does not exceed 4.5 meters. The common hammerhead shark is similar to the giant shark in almost every way except its length.

Of the entire family, this species has the widest habitat - it can be found in almost all oceans, except the Arctic Ocean and tropical waters. It is difficult to determine the exact boundaries of the hammerhead shark’s habitat due to its strong similarity to other species of hammerhead sharks.

Is a hammerhead shark dangerous to humans?

No, it's not dangerous if we're talking about about whether a person is a planned target of a shark’s hunt. These predators do not feed on people and do not consider humans as prey.

Yes, it is dangerous when it comes to attacks on people. Such sad incidents are known to history. Moreover, the hammerhead shark is one of the ten most dangerous sharks for humans in terms of the possibility of unprovoked aggression.

However main reason The attack is that, by a strange and tragic coincidence, the hammerhead shark chooses the shallow waters most beloved by vacationers to breed. During this period, hammerheads are extremely aggressive, so precedents occur from time to time, especially in the Hawaii area.

However, much more harm is done to hammerhead fish by humans, who exterminate millions of unfortunate predators for the sake of obtaining fins - the main ingredient of the legendary, fabulously expensive soup.

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