Sphyrna mokarran
Great Hammerhead Shark
©Josh Hallett
©Ellie Shuetrim and Alex Heath: This may be a Great Hammerhead Shark seen at the Cod Hole on the Great Barrier Reef.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Elasmobranchii
Order
Carcharhiniformes
Family
Sphyrnidae
Genus
Sphyrna
Species
Sphyrna mokarran
Colours
Distinguishing features
This hammerhead shark has the front of the head smoothly curved, without indentations. It is solitary and oceanic (Allen et al, 2003)
Size
- Up to 420 cm (Length of specimen)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
Scalloped Hammerhead (species: Sphyrna lewini)
Indentations on front of head; often form groups and are found both in open water and around reefs (Allen et al, 2003)
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: No records of this species from Lizard Island
Web resources
Danger
- unspecified - This shark is considered dangerous (Allen et al, 2003).