Overview

This shark belongs to the hammerhead family, where the head itself is the signature field mark. PocketShark uses that broad sensory platform as the visual anchor, then adds species-specific differences when the source base is stronger. The side-expanded head is the obvious character, but body shape, dorsal-fin proportions, and the outline of the cephalofoil help separate species. Hammerheads occur mainly in tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate seas worldwide. Species ranges span estuaries, reefs, continental shelves, and open ocean.

The family uses both coastal and pelagic habitat, with juveniles often favoring shallow nursery areas and larger animals moving more broadly.

A conservation-priority species due to global declines.

Why it matters: The hammer-shaped head spreads sensory organs over a wide area, which may improve navigation and prey detection.

Common nameScalloped Hammerhead
Scientific nameSphyrna lewini
FamilySphyrnidae
OrderCarcharhiniformes
Max length4.2 m
Depth range0 to 1000 meters
ConservationCritically endangered
RegionWarm coastal waters worldwide
DietFish, rays, squid
HabitatReefs, islands, and continental shelves
Why it stands outElectroreception spread across the hammer head

What this shark is

The side-expanded head is the obvious character, but body shape, dorsal-fin proportions, and the outline of the cephalofoil help separate species.

Where it lives

Hammerheads occur mainly in tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate seas worldwide. Species ranges span estuaries, reefs, continental shelves, and open ocean.

The family uses both coastal and pelagic habitat, with juveniles often favoring shallow nursery areas and larger animals moving more broadly.

How it differs from similar sharks

Electroreception spread across the hammer head

Compare it against Bonnethead, Great Hammerhead, and Sphyrna Alleni.

Why it is notable

Some large hammerheads deserve caution, yet direct incidents are uncommon compared with the scale of fishery mortality faced by the family.

Species-level taxonomy was verified from Sharkipedia's current species list and taxonomy workbook. In this pass, the narrative fields are cautious family-level placeholders synthesized from broad shark references, chiefly the FAO Sharks of the World catalogue, because a stronger multi-source species-level synthesis was not assembled here without risking invented detail. Replace this with a direct species-level synthesis before publication in the app.

Related shark pages

These links are meant to help readers continue through related species, not force extra clicks.

Photograph of a bonnethead shark from above, showing the rounded hammer-shaped head; not to scale.
Sphyrna tiburo

Bonnethead

Small hammerhead with a rounded head and quick turns.

1.7 m maxLeast Concern
Great hammerhead photograph showing the wide cephalofoil and tall first dorsal fin; not to scale.
Sphyrna mokarran

Great Hammerhead

Long-cephalofoil hunter that patrols warm coastal waters.

6.1 m maxCritically Endangered