Why do hammerhead sharks have eyes on the side?

By moving their head sideways as they swim, the sharks can see much of what is behind them. More extraordinary is that the position of the eyes allows the sharks to see through 360 degrees in the vertical plane, meaning the animals can see above and below them at all times.

What are the benefits of hammerhead shark?

Previously, researchers have theorised that the hammerhead’s head may improve its sense of smell, boost its ability to locate prey using electric fields, improve its manoeuvrability or help it to pin down struggling rays so it can bite off their wing-like fins.

What is it about the head shape of hammerhead sharks that helps them adapt to their environment?

Their wide-set eyes give them a better visual range than most other sharks. And by spreading their highly specialized sensory organs over their wide, mallet-shaped head, they can more thoroughly scan the ocean for food.

What are the adaptations of a hammerhead shark?

Hammerhead sharks have adapted to have sleek and aerodynamic bodies. This allows them to not only swim fast (at speeds clocked at 25 miles per hour), but it also allows them to make quick and sharp turns to both catch prey and avoid predators.

Do hammerhead sharks have good vision?

“One of the things they say on TV shows is that hammerheads have better vision than other sharks,” said study team member Michelle McComb from Florida Atlantic University. Hammerheads “have outstanding forward stereo vision and depth perception,” the scientists write in the Nov.

Why is a hammerhead shark called a hammerhead?

This shark’s unusual name comes from the unusual shape of its head, an amazing piece of anatomy built to maximize the fish’s ability to find its favorite meal: stingrays. A hammerhead shark uses its wide head to trap stingrays by pinning them to the seafloor.

What did hammerheads evolve from?

Further, the hammerheads seem to most closely resemble the carcharhinid Scoliodon laticaudus, also known as the Spadenose Shark. It had traditionally been thought that all the hammerheads evolved from a single carcharhinid ancestor with a ‘normal-shaped’ head.

Do sharks get pregnant?

Once they are mature, sharks will usually mate in the spring and summer. The period of gestation can be anything from 9 months to 2 years ( frilled shark gestation period may be as long as 3.5 years). Most species have an average gestation period of 9-12 months.

What did hammerhead sharks evolve from?

How do hammerhead sharks affect the environment?

Being an apex predator, the Great Hammerhead plays an essential role in coastal marine ecosystems. By preying on species below them in the food chain, great hammerhead helps ensure the species diversity as well as keep balance with its competitors.

What are some interesting facts about a hammerhead shark?

Fun Facts About Great Hammerhead Sharks

• The great hammerhead shark is the largest of all nine hammerhead species.
• The longest great hammerhead shark ever recorded was 20 feet (6.1 m) long, and the heaviest great hammerhead shark ever recorded was 991 pounds (450 kg).

Do hammerhead sharks have binocular vision?

The hammerhead shark also makes eye and head movements as it swims to provide even better binocular vision and depth perception. These characteristics give the hammerhead shark an exceptional view of its undersea world.