Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini)

Photograph by Masa Ushioda

(PHYLUM: Chordata, CLASS: Chondrichthyes, ORDER: Carcharhiniformes, FAMILY: Sphyrnidae)

Body form and locomotion are related to way of life and many shark species have become very specialised - for example the hammerhead sharks. The hammerheads have evolved unusual looking, winglike structures that are thought to aid their manoeuvrability by providing extra lift at the front of the shark, therefore enabling it to bank quickly and make rapid vertical movements. The dorso-ventrally flattened head induces minimal drag during turning, enabling them to move quickly and catch fast and agile prey such as jet-propelled squid. The location of the eyes at the end of the 'wings' gives the sharks superior binocular vision and the wings contains greatly developed olfactory (smell) and electroreceptive organs used hunting prey.

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