Sphyrna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sphyrna |
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| The Great hammerhead shark is the largest member of the Sphyrna genus, and the largest hammerhead shark. | |
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Sphyrna
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| Map of were the species of Sphyrna live (in blue) | |
Sphyrna is a group of hammerhead sharks. It is one of two main groups of hammerheads. This group is the larger one, with eight different types of sharks in it. The name Sphyrna comes from an old Greek word meaning "hammer." This name fits perfectly because of the unique shape of these sharks' heads!
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What are Sphyrna Sharks Like?
Sharks in the Sphyrna group come in many sizes. The smallest is the Scoophead, which is about 100 centimeters (1 meter) long. The biggest is the Great hammerhead shark, which can grow up to 610 centimeters (6.1 meters) long!
The Smalleye hammerhead shark weighs around 9 kilograms. The huge Great hammerhead shark can weigh about 230 kilograms. Most sharks in this group are light grey or brownish-grey. They often have a hint of green and a white belly.
What Do Hammerheads Eat?
Sharks in the Sphyrna group love to eat stingrays. But they also enjoy many other foods! They eat crustaceans like blue crabs and shrimp. They also hunt molluscs such as octopuses and squids.
Many types of fish are on their menu, including sardines and herrings. They even eat other types of sharks! If food is very hard to find, these sharks might even eat each other. The Great hammerhead shark is sometimes known to eat its own young if food is extremely scarce.
Reproduction
Most sharks in this group give birth to live young. This is called being viviparous. In 2007, scientists found something amazing! A bonnethead shark was able to have babies without a male partner. This is called asexual reproduction.
When they give birth, a mother shark usually has between 12 and 40 babies at one time. After they are born, the young sharks gather in groups. They swim together towards warmer waters. They stay in these groups until they are older and big enough to live on their own. These sharks usually live for about 20 to 30 years.
Types of Hammerhead Sharks
Here are the different types of sharks in the Sphyrna group:
- Scalloped Bonnethead, Sphyrna corona
- Whitefin Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna couardi
- Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna lewini
- Scoophead, Sphyrna media
- Great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran
- Bonnethead, Sphyrna tiburo
- Smalleye Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna tudes
- Smooth Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna zygaena
See also
In Spanish: Sphyrna para niños
