A new-to-science hammerhead species, the shovelhead shark, has been hiding in plain sight for three centuries due to its close resemblance to a long-lost relative, the bonnethead shark. After a decade of research, a breakthrough study published Sept. 24 found that these are two distinct species, challenging the widely accepted 1758 description by biologist Carl […]
Tag: bonnethead shark
New Species of Hammerhead Shark Discovered
Named for the unusual and distinctive form of their heads, hammerhead sharks belong to the family Sphyrnidae. They are found worldwide, preferring life in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves. “Hammerhead sharks are a monophyletic lineage of carcharhiniform sharks first appearing in the Miocene epoch,” said Florida International University researcher Cindy Gonzalez and her […]