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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Photo: Satellite Tags to Solve Hammerhead Mating, Migration Mysteries?


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In addition to nostrils, great hammerhead sharks have hundreds of olfactory pores on their snouts. The position of the eyes—one at either end of the hammer—gives them a broader range of sight.

Hammerheads and other sharks use pore-like electrical sensors embedded in their skin known as ampullae of Lorenzini to help nab prey at ultra-close range. In the case of great hammerheads, that prey includes stingrays hiding on the ocean floor.

Reports describe the shark holding down a stingray with its hammer, while sheering off pieces of its wings to eat.

Photo by Brian Skerry/National Geographic/Getty Images