Bonnethead Shark Facts, Habitat, Diet, Weight, Length

Bonnetheads are among the smallest hammerheads, differentiated by their shovel-shaped heads. These warm-water coastal sharks relocate seasonally and are frequently featured in aquarium exhibits. Bonnethead sharks are popular coastal sharks that are frequently captured in shrimp trawls, longlines, and by recreational anglers, even though they are not aimed directly. 

Meat is also used as livestock feed and to make fishmeal. Even though it is commercially available, this species has little economic significance. Bonnetheads can be a great recreational fish, especially when fished with light tackle or fly fishing gear. They are frequently observed in shallow waters and caught on live bait with crabs.

Bonnethead Shark Facts

The head is moulded like a shovel or a bonnet, which makes recognition among other hammerhead sharks simple. The eyes are positioned at the corners of the flattened head's uniformly rounded lobes, which increases the range of vision. The head rolls side by side during swimming.

The bonnethead shark's primary diet consists of invertebrates, but it also includes oysters, mollusks, and small fish. Bonnethead sharks are the 2nd smallest sharks in the hammerhead group, reaching 30 to 48 inches in length. They can weigh approximately 24 lbs at their peak. The color ranges from grey to grey-brown, with a slightly green hue on occasion. On the sides of the body, dark spots can be seen from time to time. When observed from the side, the color shifts from lighter grey to white on the lower parts.

Small, pointed teeth are positioned in the front of the mouth and are used for slicing up prey, while large, flat molar teeth are positioned in the back of the mouth and are used for crushing harder prey items. The sharp front teeth have short, stout ridges with no grooves, accompanied by angled cusps and flattened molars towards the back of the mouth. 

Bonnethead Shark Habitat

Bonnetheads can be found at depths of 12 m (39 ft.) on continental and insular shelves, across reefs, coastal areas, and shallow bays. They generally live in tiny groups of up to 15 members, but during relocation occasions, they might be spotted in hundreds or thousands. As the breeding season approaches, bonnetheads tend to congregate in groups according to gender. Females will come together in shallow waters to give birth during the pupping season.

Bonnethead Shark Diet

The shark's primary diet consists primarily of crustaceans, the majority of which are blue crabs, but it also consumes shrimp, snails, and small fish. Bonnetheads also consume a significant amount of seagrass, which has been shown to account for approximately 62.1 percent of the gut content mass.

Bonnethead Shark Weight

The maximum observed weight of larger individuals of the Bonnethead Shark is in the range of 10-11kg.

Bonnethead Shark Length

With an average length of 30 to 48 inches and the highest recorded total length of 59 inches, bonnethead sharks are the second most diminutive sharks in the hammerhead family.