The biology and conservation status of the large hammerhead shark complex: the great, scalloped, and smooth hammerheads

Hammerhead sharks are among the most intriguing yet imperiled groups of large sharks globally. Until recently, our understanding of their biology, movements, diet, and life histories was challenged by a lack of studies. In recent years there has been a surge of published studies on this group of sha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reviews in fish biology and fisheries 2018-12, Vol.28 (4), p.777-794
Main Authors: Gallagher, Austin J., Klimley, A. Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biology
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Conservation
Conservation status
Fish conservation
Fisheries
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Life Sciences
Marine fishes
Marine molluscs
Reviews
Sharks
Sphyrna lewini
Sphyrna mokarran
Sphyrna zygaena
Threatened species
Vulnerability
Wildlife conservation
Zoology
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Summary:Hammerhead sharks are among the most intriguing yet imperiled groups of large sharks globally. Until recently, our understanding of their biology, movements, diet, and life histories was challenged by a lack of studies. In recent years there has been a surge of published studies on this group of sharks, incorporating new information on age and growth, behavior, and the threats they face. Here we summarize and compare what is known on the biology and conservation of the three largest species of hammerhead sharks: the great hammerhead ( Sphyrna mokarran ), the scalloped hammerhead ( Sphyrna lewini ), and the smooth hammerhead ( Sphyrna zygaena ). We chose these species since they are the most well-studied of the hammerheads, and also because they are commonly captured in target and non-target fisheries worldwide. Thus, we also discuss population trends and the vulnerabilities of each species, and make recommendations for future studies on these fascinating and complex elasmobranch fishes.
ISSN:0960-3166
1573-5184
DOI:10.1007/s11160-018-9530-5