bonnethead
Sign in to saveThe bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), also called a bonnet shark or shovelhead, is the smallest member of the hammerhead shark genus Sphyrna, and part of the family Sphyrnidae. It is an abundant species in the littoral zone of the North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, is the only shark species known to display sexual dimorphism in the morphology of the head, and is one of two shark species known to be omnivorous.
Article
13 sectionsContents
- Description
- Morphology
- Sexual dimorphism
- Pectoral fins and swimming
- Evolution
- Distribution and habitat
- Ecology
- Behavior
- Diet
- Reproduction
- Conservation
- References
- External links
The bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), also called a bonnet shark or shovelhead, is the smallest member of the hammerhead shark genus Sphyrna, and part of the family Sphyrnidae. It is an abundant species in the littoral zone of the North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, is the only shark species known to display sexual dimorphism in the morphology of the head, and is one of two shark species known to be omnivorous.
==Description== The shark is characterized by a broad, smooth, spade-like head: it has the smallest cephalofoil (hammerhead) of all Sphyrna species. The body is grey-brown above and lighter on the underside. Typically, bonnethead sharks are about long, with a maximum size of about . The generic name Sphyrna probably derives from a misspelling of sphyra, the Greek word for "hammer"; the specific name tiburo derives from the Spanish word , meaning "shark".