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Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks) > Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead, bonnethead, or scoophead sharks)
Etymology: Sphyrna: Probable misspelling of sphyra (Gr.), hammer, referring to their hammer-shaped heads (See ETYFish); media: Latin for middle, allusion not explained, probably referring to its oculonarial expanse being “roughly intermediate in shape between that of hammerheads [subgenus Sphyrna] and shovelheads [subgenus Platysqualus]” (See ETYFish).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 8 - ? m (Ref. 58018). Tropical; 35°N - 34°S, 118°W - 31°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Panama to southern Brazil. Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Ecuador and probably northern Peru.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); common length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)

Little-known. Found in inshore areas over the continental shelves. Viviparous (Ref. 50449). Utilized fresh for human consumption and for fishmeal.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Viviparous, placental (Ref. 50449).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 2 - Carcharhiniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/2):251-655. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bcd); Date assessed: 08 February 2019

CITES

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Traumatogenic

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
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Ecology
Ecology

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Length-weight rel.
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Life cycle
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5029 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00347 (0.00153 - 0.00788), b=3.12 (2.93 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.0 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): High.

Sphyrna media Springer, 1940