Why do hammerhead sharks have hammerheads?
Hammerheads help these sharks find and catch prey. [John Liddiard, 1995, used with permission] Hammerhead sharks Fishthe preygenerate electric fields. Sharks detect the field, and hence the prey, with sensors lodged in head pores. The hammerhead shape provides a wider head area and correspondingly more sensors than other sharks have. So, hammerheads pick up prey signals better. The wing-like hammerhead also provides hydrodynamic lift so hammerheads can turn tighter and faster. Prey has a tougher time losing the hammerhead than other sharks. Several shark species with slightly different head forms and structures all use the hammerhead design. Hammerheads are an evolutionary success, persisting for 20 to 25 million years.
