WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A large hammerhead without a notch at the center of its curved head.

COLOR
Olive-grey or dark grey-brown above, white below and the undersides of its pectoral fin tips are dusky.

SIZE
At birth, the shark is 1.6 to 2 ft [50 to 61 cm] in length. It matures at approximately 6.9 to 7.9 ft [2.1 to 2.4 m] in length, and its maximum length is between 12.1 to 13.1 ft [3.7 to 4 m].

TEETH
Very broad cusps and smooth to weakly serrated edges.

HABITAT
The shark prefers continental and insular shelves, from close inshore to well offshore in waters 0 to 95.6 ft [0 to 20 m] deep, and sometimes deeper.

DISTRIBUTION
World-wide in tropical and temperate waters.

BIOLOGY

• Prey – Feeds on bony fishes, small sharks, skates, and stingrays.

• Reproduction – 29-37 pups per litter.

BEHAVIOR
Young sharks less than 4.9 ft [1.5 m] in length sometimes occur in huge migrating schools.

STATUS
This species is considered near-threatened, and may be confused with the Scalloped hammerhead shark - Sphyrna lewini in the tropics.