Fin's Fish Guide
The Bonnet hammerhead (Sphyrna tiburo) is a brackish-water fish of the family Sphyrnidae that grows up to 150 cm.
Western Atlantic and eastern Pacific; inshore and coastal areas, also brackish water.
Description
The bonnethead shark is a small hammerhead of the family Sphyrnidae from the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific. The species grows to about 1.5 metres and has the hammerhead-typical widened head, here rounded like a shovel or bonnet. It lives on continental and insular shelves, in inshore and coastal areas over mud and sand bottoms and on coral reefs, and tolerates brackish water. It feeds mainly on crabs, shrimps, molluscs and small fishes; remarkably, the species also eats and digests large amounts of seagrass, a unique form of omnivory among sharks. Owing to fishing it is listed as Endangered (EN). Though harmless, a hooked shark can bite.
Frequently asked questions
How do you recognise the Bonnet hammerhead?
The Bonnet hammerhead has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Shovel-shaped broadened hammerhead; the only shark known to also digest seagrass (omnivore).
Where does the Bonnet hammerhead live?
The Bonnet hammerhead lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Western Atlantic and eastern Pacific; inshore and coastal areas, also brackish water.
How big does the Bonnet hammerhead get?
The Bonnet hammerhead grows to a maximum of about 150 cm. On average the species is around 80 cm.
Is the Bonnet hammerhead dangerous to humans?
No, the Bonnet hammerhead is harmless to humans. Not venomous, but a shark with sharp teeth; keep clear of the mouth of a caught or hooked fish and handle only with care. Clean any bite wound and seek medical care if it becomes infected.
Is the Bonnet hammerhead edible?
Yes, the Bonnet hammerhead is commonly eaten.
More photos
Want the complete picture on the Bonnet hammerhead?
Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Bonnet hammerhead is one of 12,519 species in the app.
All data
Identification
Appearance
Habitat & distribution
Behaviour & biology
For anglers
Safety
Status & sources
Same genus Sphyrna
More from the family Sphyrnidae
Want the complete picture on the Bonnet hammerhead?
Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Bonnet hammerhead is one of 12,519 species in the app.