The Ultimate Hammerhead Shark Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
The Ultimate Hammerhead Shark Quiz
Image: Larry Gatz/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Hammerheads sharks are one of the most intriguing species of shark, sporting a hammer-shaped head that sets them apart. Take our quiz and learn more about this unusual creature.
Which type of shark is the fiercest predator in the ocean?
the great white shark
the hammerhead shark
the basking shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The great white shark is known as the fiercest predator in the ocean, scaring moviegoers and beach lovers alike.

Advertisement

Which type of shark is probably the funniest looking shark in the ocean?
the basking shark
the red shark
the hammerhead shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hammerhead sharks have little mouths with little teeth, and they have a wide, flat, hammer-shaped head with eyes on either side. Most scientists consider them the funniest looking shark.

Advertisement

How many different classifications of hammerhead sharks are there?
three
six
nine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though there are actually nine classifications of hammerhead sharks, only four are commonly found: the great hammerhead, the smooth hammerhead, the scalloped hammerhead and the bonnethead.

Advertisement

Which of the following types of hammerhead sharks are considered dangerous to humans?
the great hammerhead
the smooth hammerhead
both of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though three out of the four types of the common hammerhead sharks are considered to be dangerous to humans, there have only been 38 recorded hammerhead attacks on humans since 1580, and no one has ever been killed by a hammerhead.

Advertisement

In which type of waters are hammerhead sharks usually found?
tropical
arctic
icy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hammerheads sharks are usually found in temperate and tropical waters, though some species prefer cooler water.

Advertisement

Shark ____ are cut off in a process called finning.
tails
gills
fins
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Like most sharks, hammerheads are fished commercially for their hides and meat, and their fins are cut off in a process called finning. Shark fin soup is popular in Asia, but shark finning is outlawed in United States waters.

Advertisement

Which of the four major species of hammerhead is usually the smallest?
the bonnethead hammerhead
the smooth hammerhead
the great hammerhead
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bonnethead is the smallest of the four major species of hammerhead, at an average of 3.5 feet long (1 meter) and about 20 pounds (9 kilogram).

Advertisement

Which of the four major species of hammerhead is usually the largest?
the bonnethead hammerhead
the smooth hammerhead
the great hammerhead
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The great hammerhead is the largest of the four major species of hammerhead, with a length of up to 18 feet (5 meters) and weighing as much as 800 pounds (360 kilograms).

Advertisement

The great hammerhead shark is:
an omnivore
a herbivore
a carnivore
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The great hammerhead shark, like all sharks, is a carnivore, preferring bony fish, small sharks, shellfish and stingrays.

Advertisement

The hammerhead shark's mouth is _____ than most other large sharks.
smaller
larger
wider
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The hammerhead's mouth is smaller than most other large sharks and they have small, sharp, serrated teeth up front with larger, flatter teeth in the back. These hard back teeth are used for grinding up tougher prey, like shellfish.

Advertisement

What is the preferred food of the bonnethead shark?
small sharks
stingrays
crustaceans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bonnethead sharks prefer crustaceans like blue crabs, but they also eat bony fish, shrimp and seagrass.

Advertisement

What color are hammerhead sharks?
gray
blue
red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hammerhead sharks are grayish-brown to olive on top and lighter colored on their stomachs.

Advertisement

Which feature of the hammerhead shark protrudes above the surface of shallow waters?
its tail
its dorsal fin
its head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you see a tall dorsal fin protruding high above the surface in shallow waters, you can be pretty sure there's a hammerhead shark in the area.

Advertisement

Scalloped hammerheads differ from other hammerheads in that they:
hang together in schools
are herbivores
are blue
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scalloped hammerheads are different from most other species of sharks in that they hang out together in schools.

Advertisement

Why do small fish hang out together in schools?
It provides protection against predators.
It allows then to surround their prey.
both of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Small fish stay together in schools to provide protection against their predators, or to surround their prey, making it easier to hunt for food.

Advertisement

What characteristic do male hammerheads look for in a mate?
size
color
shapeliness
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Male hammerheads seem to prefer a large female who is able to carry and give birth to a large number of pups.

Advertisement

What is the gestation period for a hammerhead shark pregnancy?
8-10 months
10-12 months
12-14 months
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Female hammerhead sharks carry their pups inside their body for a gestation period of 8-10 months before giving birth in shallow waters.

Advertisement

The distinctive hammer head of the hammerhead shark is called a cephalofoil. The bonnethead's cephalofoil is rounded at the _____ .
front
back
side
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bonnethead's cephalofoil is rounded at the front and looks more like a shovel than a hammer.

Advertisement

All sharks have electrical sensors in their nose and heads called ampullae of ____ that help them stalk their prey.
Lamborghini
Lorenzini
Linguine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ampullae of Lorenzini can detect weak electric emissions from other sea life. In the case of hammerheads, the ampullae are spread out over a greater surface area, giving the shark the ability to cover more ground and sense its prey more easily.

Advertisement

In which United States city was a shark pup born to a female shark that had not had any contact with a male shark in over three years?
Omaha, Nebraska
Chicago, Illinois
Seattle, Washington
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2001, in a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, a female hammerhead shark gave birth to a male pup even though she had been celibate for more than three years. Researchers concluded that the mother had fertilized her own eggs and had a virgin birth called parthenogenesis.

Advertisement

You Got:
/20
Larry Gatz/Getty Images