Hammerhead Sharks Essay -- essays research papers fc

Hammer gunpoint SharksMarine Science/ Per. 1     Sharks atomic number 18 one of the roughly fe ard sea animals. They live in oceansacross the world but are most common in tropical waters. There are over threehundred fifty species of sharks. They can be broadly reason into thefollowing four groups Squalomorphii, Squatinomorphii, Batoidea, andGaleomorphii. The shark family Sphyrnidae that includes the Hammer creative thinkers arepart of the Galeomorphic classification. They are probably the most easilyrecognizable of all the sharks. The Hammerheads are among the strangest tonesharks. As the name indicates they have a flat ten-spoted head which resembles thehead of a tool. Their eyes and nostrils are at the ends of the hammer. Thereare umteen species of Hammerheads. There are eight living species of knuckleheads.The following four are the main categories1. Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini)-Pectoral quins are tipped with blackthis gray-headed sh ark. The maximum length is about 12 feet.2. Bonnethead (Spyrna tiburo)-With a head shaped like a shovel the bonnetheadrarely grows to a greater extent than four feet prospicient. This shark is commonly seen inshore.3. Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)-Bronze with dusky fin tips, it can growto thirteen feet.4. Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)-Attaining a length of a possible 18 feet,this is the largest and most dangerous of all the hammerheads.     virtuoso of the most interesting things about the hammerheads is the uniqueshape of their heads. Ever since scientists started to read the hammerheadthey have speculated about the use of the hammer. The hammer is a intricatestructure and probably suffices more than one bring. The most importantfunction of the hammer according to scientists is increased electroreceptivearea and its sensory perception. This means that the hammerhead has aremarkable sensory ability to detect the small galvanic auras surrounding allliving creatures. Under certain conditions, such as in searching for woundedanimals, the electrical activity increases helping the hammerhead to feed. Itis also believed that the hammerhead may be able to use the Earths charismaticfield as a source for navigation. Some hammerheads migrate a lot and may relyon this built in range sense to guide them in the open ocean. Another use forthe hammer is to enhance maneuverability. The hammer... ...heads go in that respect for mating purposes. Observations in thesesea mounts take that the majority of hammerheads there are female. Thisindicates that its easy for the male to find a mate. However, researchers weresurprised to find that there were many immature female hammerheads at the seamounts. This led them to believe that in addition to reproduction there must beother reasons for coming to the sea mounts. It is believed that the sea mountsserve as navigational effects. Each evening the hammerheads begin a ten tofifteen mile swim away from the mount, always returning by dawn or the followingday. It seems that they spend the night at conflicting deep water feeding grounds.The girlish females participate in these long distance swims. The sea mountserves as a navigational center helping them find their way back. The nightlyswim help the young find nutritious food which helps them in their growth.BibliographyKlimley, Peter, "Hammerhead City", native History, Oct. 1995, pp 33-38. Martin,Richard, "Why the Hammerhead?", Sea Frontiers, May-June 1989, pp. 142-145. Moss,Sanford, Sharks, Prentice-Hall, 1984. World hand Encyclopedia, Sharks, WorldBook Inc., 1988.