The great hammerhead uses its bizarre head as a weapon to pin down prey

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The great hammerhead is the largest of its kind, reaching over six meters in length. Its iconic, flattened head is not just for show; it acts as a specialized tool for hunting, sensing, and maneuvering. This apex predator even uses its wide head to pin stingrays against the seafloor.

The great hammerhead, or Sphyrna mokarran, is a master of its environment. While its cephalofoil—the hammer-shaped head—is its most striking feature, the structure serves multiple survival functions. Beyond acting as a hydrodynamic bow plane for rapid, sharp turns, the head is packed with electroreceptive organs. These allow the shark to detect the electrical impulses of prey, such as stingrays, even when they are buried beneath sediment. The expanded nostril placement also grants the shark a superior sense of smell, helping it track scents across vast distances in tropical and temperate waters.

Hunting strategies for this species are highly specialized. While smaller hammerheads might crush crustaceans, the great hammerhead possesses large, bladelike teeth suited for bigger prey, including squid and other sharks. It is particularly known for its relationship with stingrays; observers have documented the shark using the wide margins of its head to ram and pin these rays to the substrate before delivering a bite. Some individuals have been found with dozens of stingray barbs embedded in their flesh, a testament to their focused diet.

Despite their size and status as apex predators, these sharks are not immune to human impact. They are viviparous, giving birth to dozens of live young in protected coastal waters, but their populations are declining globally due to fishing for their fins and meat. As of 2019, the IUCN has assessed the species as critically endangered. Furthermore, consumers are warned that large specimens may contain high levels of mercury and other pollutants, making them a risky food source. While they rarely attack humans, their size and power demand respect from any diver or bather sharing their waters.

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