|
|
Article: The social lives of hammerheads.
- Article from:
- The World and I
- Article date:
- June 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Hammerhead sharks form the family of Sphyrnidae, that includes eight species: the winghead shark (Eusphyra blochii), scalloped bonnethead (Sphyrna corona), scalloped hammerhead (S. lewini), scoophead shark (S. media), great hammerhead (S. mokarran), bonnethead shark (S. tiburo), golden hammerhead (S. tudes) and the smooth hammerhead (S. zygaena).
In the hammerhead shark, the front part of the head is flattened dorsoventrally and laterally increased to form what we call the "cephalofoil," or two wide flattened expansions that constitute the characteristic shape of a hammer. These two expansions are made out of muscular and connective tissues supported by a ...