Giant hammerhead shark. sharks fish hammerhead shark

The oceans and seas have always attracted a person, revealing unknown depths, many secrets and mysteries before him. And sow the day, in spite of the many scientific expeditions and the colossal work of ocean scientists, the depths " big water» hide many more secrets under the veil of secrecy.

flickr/Eric Orchin

The hammerhead shark deserves special attention, which can rightfully be called one of the most ferocious and merciless predators. sea ​​depths. The study of this predator has revealed many amazing things, and frightening facts that are unique to this hunter.

Hammerhead sharks (lat. Sphyrnidae) are a fast, cunning and extremely resourceful predator that is not afraid of almost anything and easily attacks a person. On the "pedestal of danger", the hammerhead shark takes third place, second only to the tiger shark. History keeps a lot of exciting facts that are associated with hammerhead fish. For example, in one of the caught such sharks, a human corpse was found, which entirely fit in the belly of this merciless killer.

Its habitual habitat is warm waters, but this does not prevent the shark from feeling quite comfortable in cool northern waters. With a body length of 4 to 7 meters, hammerhead fish "armed" amazing abilities unsurpassed predator, which are reflected in the structure of her strong and incredibly flexible body.

The evolution that has perfected this shark for more than two tens of millions of years has endowed it with everything it needs. Heavy-duty, razor-sharp teeth, which are located in several rows, and are capable of tearing any victim literally in a matter of seconds. The natural masking color of the body makes it almost invisible in the water column.

Powerful fins and strong muscles allow it to develop tremendous speed. Unparalleled organs of perception are able to find prey for many kilometers, perceiving electromagnetic signals, feeling blood and even fear of their prey. And the very head of the shark, which has the shape of a hammer, endows the predator with phenomenal maneuverability, becoming a movement stabilizer and leaving virtually no chance for prey to escape.

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

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

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, she has to constantly move, which means looking for a victim and always being “on the alert”. It is almost impossible to catch this shark by surprise. She always imposes her “game” conditions on the victim and always turns out to be the winner.

Amazing hammerhead shark

Family hammerhead sharks Sphyrnidae

Hammerhead shark (hammerhead shark)

Hammerhead sharks are among the most mysterious species of selachia. What are the benefits and unique abilities Nature rewarded them by creating such an unusual head shape - a subject for reflection by 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 carchariformes order are relatives of gray, mustelid and cat sharks.
The hammerhead family consists of two genera, one of them (Eusphyra) contains a single species - winged shark(Eusphyra blochii). This predator, even among its sisters in the family, is distinguished by the breadth of the "hammer", reaching half the length of the body in a span.
The second genus (Sphyrna) includes eight species of hammerhead sharks. Here there are also small predators that do not reach a length of one and a half meters, there are also giants that exceed six meters in size.

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

The color of the body is often light gray or gray-brown on the dorsal side, white on the ventral side. On the fins, there are usually no noticeable spots. Has a unique body color golden (or smalleye) hammerhead shark(Sphyrna studies) . Her color, indeed, casts bronze-gold tints. According to scientists, this is due to the fact that the diet of predators is based on special shrimp, which contain 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 shape- in the form of a hammer, T-shaped. At different types hammerhead sharks eat some distinctive features in the shape of a head. Along the edges of the T-shaped outgrowths on the head of the shark 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 ahead of itself, so when moving, hammerhead sharks make lateral head movements, which helps them increase their field of view by almost 360 degrees.

Hammerhead sharks feed on small bony fish, crustaceans, squids, as well as medium-sized representatives of sharks and even stingrays, whose spikes are often found in the stomachs of these sharks. Larger hammerhead sharks, especially the giant hammerhead sharks, can also feed on larger prey. The teeth of these sharks are smaller than those of a great white or tiger shark, they are very sharp, almost triangular in shape. The size of the teeth of this shark 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 origin of the hammerhead shark. Sharks almost never leave fossils, and this is the main source of information about the past of the animal.

From the ancient fish, whose skeletons consisted of strong bones, remained detailed history evolution. But the skeleton of sharks consists mainly of cartilage, so usually only teeth and jaws remain from them. This means we have little evidence of the origin of hammerhead sharks.
The hammerhead shark is truly one of the most unusual sharks. Her appearance seems truly alien, but she is quite common in tropical seas around the world.
When you look at the hammerhead shark, only one question arises in your head - why does this animal have such a peculiar head shape? What is she for? And how did she appear? After all, nature does not create freaks. And if it creates by mistake, then they cannot compete with "normal" species and die. It is all the more strange that there are many varieties of hammerhead sharks of all shapes and sizes, at least 9 various kinds. Could nature really make so many mistakes and "give birth" to so many freaks that perfectly exist 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 is almost half a ton. These are truly impressive dimensions.

The shape of the body suggests that we have a shark in front of us, but there are still differences. Why Nature Made Hammerhead Sharks So Unique appearance? The Hawaiian Islands are a place where sharks are attracted like a magnet from all over the Atlantic. The center for the study of hammerhead sharks is the Hawaiian Institute of Marine Biology. It was here that they began to look for a connection between shark biology and attacks on people, hoping that by studying their movement, way of subsistence, it would be possible to understand what makes some sharks dangerous.

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

But recent data from genetic studies have completely turned this theory upside down. 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 that happened. 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 those 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, and therefore it was impossible to hunt with her eyesight. It was either adapt or die.

Having sank to the bottom, she began to rely on other senses in search of food and turned into a skilled hunter who honed the craft of obtaining food to the point of uniqueness. In search of food, the hammerhead shark is helped, basically, not by the eyes, but by special receptors. electromagnetic impulses(they are also called sensory organs), which radiate any creature. Although these impulses are extremely weak, especially in small living creatures, they can be felt through such barriers that become a hindrance to ordinary vision. It has been established that a shark can pick up electrical discharges of one millionth of a volt. The hammerhead shark "sees" a potential prey through a layer of sand (if a fish or crustacean tries to hide in this way), it can feel the prey hidden under a stone or in algae.

Electromagnetic pulse receptors are located on the underside of the shark's head hammer, so when it moves near the bottom, the movement of its head resembles the movement 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 source of food. In combination with a subtle sense of smell, electroreceptors turn the hammerhead shark into a very skilled hunter and dangerous predator.

Many species of sharks have receptors for electromagnetic impulses, called the "sixth sense" by scientists, but it was the hammerhead shark that developed the use of this sense to perfection. Receptors for electromagnetic impulses - tiny pores located under the chin of sharks, allow them to distinguish between the smallest electric currents and magnetic radiation produced by all living creatures.
These currents propagate in the water for a short distance, therefore, in order to feel them, the shark must swim very close to the prey. The researchers compared the nature of hunting in this way two species of sharks - hammerhead and sand, which are very similar to each other, except for the shape of the head.

It turned out that both fish equally feel the prey hidden in the sand or at the bottom, however, the hammerhead shark, due to the shape of its head and the ability to maneuver it, can scan much more at the same time. large area bottom surface where potential prey may be, and this gives it a better chance of finding food. But finding prey is only half the battle. Scientists were very surprised at the dexterity that the hammerhead shark shows at the time of the attack. It is the most agile and agile fish, and mainly due to the shape of its head. They can change the angle of attack by turning their head in one direction or another. If we 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 history of the evolution of the hammerhead shark has been very successful. These days it is one of the most commonly seen shark species in the world, and in some places they are found in astonishing numbers. Hundreds of individuals ply around the seamounts. Few other shark species form such large schools. This is one of the biggest mysteries of the ocean. Why do so many of these sharks gather in one place at one time. Oddly enough, in these huge flocks the majority are females, and we don't yet know why this happens.

Hammerhead sharks reproduce in an unusual way: unlike most fish, they are viviparous. In the mother's body, the fetus develops and feeds using a system similar to the mammalian placenta, but in born sharks, the hammer is turned back towards the body. This makes it easier for them to emerge. With age, the head takes on the well-known T-shape that distinguishes adult sharks. But why are these sharks viviparous when almost all other fish are oviparous?

For example, a small cat deep sea shark lays eggs every few weeks and attaches them firmly in different nooks and crannies. These primary eggs are expelled from the body before the offspring can develop on their own. Baby catsharks grow inside an egg capsule and one of the first organs to 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 cub is born, it is already under 50 centimeters in length and swims well. It's necessary. The waters here are full of predators, and the faster the offspring move, the more likely it is to survive.

A large concentration of hammerhead sharks makes the bay near Cocos Island a mecca for biologists who study sharks. The hammerhead shark seems strange to people, especially because of the shape of the 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 ended up on the edges of the hammer. Humans primarily navigate with the help of their eyes and therefore we have binocular vision. It is difficult for us to imagine how it is possible to exist when the eyes look in different directions. And we automatically start to think that this is definitely uncomfortable compared to what we are used to. It is clear that these sharks are not able to see straight ahead like other sharks. But not seeing what is ahead, she sees the world with the help of peripheral vision. Side-to-side movement helps to fill the gap, but this is hardly expected 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 - the very electromagnetic receptors or sensory organs, with their help the shark catches electric field its prey.

At the bottom of the bay, young sharks are learning to hunt. In shallow water, the skin darkens quickly. These are the only known animals capable of sunbathing other than us. If the hammerhead shark went hunting, you need to be on the lookout - these sharks are very dangerous for humans.

The meat, liver and, especially, the fins of hammerhead sharks are very tasty, so hammerhead sharks are a valuable object of fishing. Shark skin is also valuable, and carcass waste is processed into fishmeal.

Below is a description of the largest of the hammerhead sharks - giant.

giant hammerhead shark(Sphyrna mokarran) - As the name suggests, these sharks are the largest of the hammerhead sharks. Their average body length is 4 - 5 meters, but larger individuals are also found. In addition, in the giant hammerhead shark, the shape of the hammer on the head is almost square, which is hallmark of this kind.
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 temperate latitudes.
Unlike other sharks of this family, it does not reach high numbers anywhere and does not form large schools.
It can reach a length of more than 6 meters - a giant hammerhead shark 7 meters 89 centimeters long and weighing 363 kilograms was caught off the coast of New Zealand, but usually its length does not exceed 4.5 meters.

Although the giant hammerhead shark is potentially dangerous, attacks on humans are very rare. The reason is that she is a rare guest in densely populated areas of the coasts. The most frequent cases of attacks by these sharks on bathers 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.
extraordinary 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 mouth of the hammerhead shark is studded with small but very sharp teeth. In a fight with her, staying alive is a great success.

The giant hammerhead shark is of great interest to commercial fisheries - it is caught in large numbers because of its large and tasty fins, which are very much appreciated in the Asian market - the famous shark fin soup is made from them. 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 giant hammerhead shark is listed in the International Red Book.

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

marine fauna - mysterious world. More and more often, he reveals his secrets to us, revealing strange animals to the light, many of which are dangerous to humans. One of these creatures can be called a shark. There are a lot of varieties of these fish, some of them have the most bizarre shapes. For example, hammerhead fish.

Hypotheses about the origin of the shape of the head predatory fish variety. Some scientists suggest that this is the result of a once occurring mutation of an ordinary shark, which later gave offspring. And someone considers the formation of a hammer-shaped head a consequence of evolution.

What is the appearance of the hammerhead shark and how is it different from other fish?

The main "highlight" in the appearance of this fish, of course, is its head, or rather, its shape. The front part ends in long and narrow outgrowths, diverging horizontally to the sides. This whole "construction" resembles a construction tool - a hammer. Hence the name of the animal.

The body length of the hammerhead fish reaches three meters, but there are specimens that grow up to 6 meters! Such a giant representative of this species was once caught in New Zealand. That shark weighed more than 360 kilograms!

The color of hammerhead fish, in most cases, is grayish brown or gray. The abdominal part of the body of the animal differs from the back in a slightly lighter tone.

Hammerhead fish habitats on planet Earth

The hammerhead shark is a resident of temperate and warm waters. Its populations inhabit the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Hammerhead shark lifestyle

An amazing fact about this fish was recently discovered by scientists. It turns out that while in shallow water, it mainly concerns young animals, the sun affects the skin of the shark, and it begins to darken ... The researchers called this phenomenon the tanning effect. Who would have thought that marine animals also love to sunbathe in the sun!

As for the other habits of the animal, it can be noted that these sharks have excellent vision. Despite the fact that the eyes on the muzzle are not so close to each other, this does not deprive their owner of vigilance, but on the contrary, it adds it. Such a natural “device” helps the hammerhead fish to see prey not only in front of itself, but also perfectly catch the slightest movement from the sides. The shark sees all objects with two eyes at once.

The hammerhead fish has very powerful muscles, strong fins, allowing it to develop high speeds and instantly overtake prey. And the massive head serves as a kind of motion stabilizer and helps the animal to maneuver in the water column.

Hammerhead shark food

The daily diet of this predator of ocean waters includes crayfish, rays and various mollusks.

Reproduction of hammerhead fish

During the spawning period, these fish lay eggs, which contain embryos - the embryos of future sharks. It is worth noting that before laying, female sharks carry eggs inside themselves for almost 8 months. In mid-spring, young sharks are born. The size of the young is from 32 to 45 centimeters in length. When young hammerhead sharks reach a height of 110 centimeters, they become sexually mature.

Natural enemies of hammerhead fish

Due to its size, powerful jaws, and indeed, creepy appearance, this predator is devoid of direct enemies in its habitat. It is unlikely that any of the underwater animals will dare to attack such a monster. It is also not recommended for people to approach this insidious creature.

Hammerhead shark (hammerhead shark, or hammerhead fish (lat. Sphyrnidae)) is one of the most unusual creatures of nature. The eccentric appearance of the hammerhead shark inspires surprise mixed with fear, especially for those who have to face it for the first time.

In addition to the outlandish shape of the head, this predator is also quite large in size: the average length of hammerhead sharks is about 4 meters, and some specimens reach 7-8 meters.

Non-standard appearance and impressive dimensions do not prevent this fish from developing high speed and exhibit rare .

The ferocity of temper is also attributed to the features of the predator: 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.

Hammerhead shark: a fish surrounded by a halo of secrets

These unusual predators accompanied by the same unusual stories, far from each of which can be found a logical explanation. So, a mystery for scientists is the peculiarity of these in some specific places, most often in underwater rocks.

Moreover, the "meetings" reach the greatest number by noon, and closer to the night, a flock of predators disperses in order to gather again the next day. Another question that has not yet been answered: why in places like mass gatherings dominated by females?

It is also surprising that even in complete darkness, the hammerhead shark is perfectly oriented, without losing direction and without losing sight of the desired part of the world.

Perhaps the predator's navigational abilities are due to a special gift from the planet?

And one more curious fact: the researchers recorded about a dozen different signals that sharks gathered in flocks exchange with each other.

Several of them succumbed to decoding: these are obvious; scientists still have to guess about the significance of the rest.

Dangerous Hammerhead Shark:

However main reason attacks is that, by a strange and tragic coincidence, for breeding offspring, the hammerhead shark chooses the most favorite places for vacationers in shallow water.

During this period, hammerheads are distinguished by their extreme, so precedents occur from time to time, especially in the Hawaiian area.

However, much more harm is done to hammerhead fish by a man who exterminates millions of unfortunate predators for the sake of obtaining fins - the main ingredient of the legendary,.