The Smooth Hammerhead is one of the most recognisable sharks globally because of its distinctive head shape resembling a hammer. This specific species is distinguished from other hammerheads because the front of its head is curved and smooth without the characteristic central indentation found in related species. The body is robust and hydrodynamic with an olive or grey colour on the back and a white belly. Eyes are located at the ends of the hammer to provide excellent panoramic vision, while the wide head also functions as a rudder for rapid manoeuvres.

This species prefers temperate and warm waters. It lives in both the open sea and near the coast while frequently approaching the surface with its dorsal fin protruding from the water. In the Mediterranean, it is now rare, but it can occasionally be spotted migrating in large schools during the summer months in search of cooler waters.

The Smooth Hammerhead is a large shark species. Its usual length ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 metres, but it can reach up to 5 metres in length with a weight exceeding 400 kilograms. It is the second largest member of the hammerhead family after the Great Hammerhead.

The fish is a formidable hunter. Its favourite food consists of rays and especially stingrays. It uses its wide head to strike and pin a ray to the seabed to avoid the venomous stinger, which is often found embedded in the mouth of the shark, without bothering it. It also feeds on squid and fish such as mackerel and herring, as well as smaller sharks.

This is a viviparous species that develops a placenta, as in mammals, to nourish the embryos in the uterus. Pregnancy lasts approximately 10 to 11 months. The female gives birth to a large number of offspring, usually 20 to 40 pups, measuring 50 to 60 centimetres in length. The young are fully formed and capable of swimming and hunting immediately after birth.

Fisheries & Economic Value

Fishing for the Smooth Hammerhead is strictly prohibited in the Mediterranean. Globally, however, it is often caught illegally for its fins, which are in high demand in the Asian market for shark fin soup, while the rest of the body is frequently discarded. The meat is considered low quality and is rarely consumed because it can accumulate high levels of urea.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the Smooth Hammerhead as Critically Endangered in the Mediterranean because populations have collapsed dramatically over recent decades. Scientific studies have shown that the shark's hammer is filled with thousands of electroreceptors that allow it to detect the electrical pulse of its prey's heart, even when the prey is buried deep in the sand. This makes it one of the most effective detectors of biological signals in the animal kingdom.