Bonnethead Shark

Common Name: Bonnethead Shark

Scientific Name: Sphyrna tiburo

Diet: Crabs, shrimp, snails, small fish

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean, eastern Pacific Ocean

Size: 2 to 3 feet, 13 pounds

Lifespan: Roughly 12 years

IUCN Red List Status: Endangered

Endangered

Overview

Bonnethead sharks can be found in both the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans — from Rhode Island to the Bahamas and California to Ecuador.

Geographical Distribution and Habitat

These sharks are documented living in subtropical waters including surf zones, bays and estuaries, coral reefs, and over sandy and muddy bottoms.

Diet

Bonnethead sharks feed during the day with foraging activity peaking in the late afternoon. Their diet consists of crab, shrimp, bivalves, snails, and some small bony fish.

Fun Facts

Bonnetheads have been documented eating different kinds of seagrasses, making them the only known omnivorous shark.
They have small sharp teeth in the front of their jaws, with broad, flat molar-like teeth at the back.

Learn About Other Animals

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Zebra Shark

Common Name: Zebra Shark
Scientific Name: Stegostoma fasciatum
Diet: Mollusks, crustaceans, small fish
Range: Western Pacific Ocean from Japan to Australia, Indian Ocean, Red Sea
Size: Roughly 8 feet, up to 65 pounds
Lifespan: 25 to 30 years

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Green Sea Turtle

Common Name: Green Sea Turtle
Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
Diet: Seagrass, algae, plankton, crabs, jellyfish, and sponges
Range: Circumglobally distributed throughout tropical water, and some subtropical waters
Size: Up to 3 to 4 feet and a weight of 440 lbs.
Lifespan: 80 years or more