Sharks
Bonnethead Shark
Sphyrna tiburo
SaltwaterSphyrnidaeLeast Concern
About
The Bonnethead Shark is the smallest member of the hammerhead family, easily recognized by its shovel-shaped head (cephalofoil). They are active swimmers and form schools, exhibiting social behavior.
- Average size
- 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm), 20 pounds (9 kg)
- Colors
- Gray-brown to light brown dorsally, lighter on the underside
- Diet
- Crustaceans (crabs, shrimp), mollusks, small fish, and seagrass. They are known to be omnivorous, consuming significant amounts of seagrass.
- Region
- Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the Americas. In the US, they are found primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, along the Florida coast, and occasionally as far north as the Carolinas.