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Enhanced visual fields in hammerhead sharks.

D M McComb¹, T C Tricas, S M Kajiura

¹Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. dmccomb@fau.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology

|December 1, 2009

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Hammerhead sharks have evolved wider heads, increasing their frontal binocular overlap and improving vision. Some species also exhibit head-shaking behavior to compensate for blind spots, supporting the enhanced binocular field hypothesis.

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Sensory Ecology

Background:

The unique head shape of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae) has long intrigued scientists.
Several hypotheses exist for this morphology, but empirical testing has been limited.
The 'enhanced binocular field' hypothesis suggests improved frontal vision due to head shape.

Purpose of the Study:

To empirically test the 'enhanced binocular field' hypothesis in hammerhead sharks.
To compare the visual fields and eye/head movements of hammerhead and carcharhinid sharks.
To investigate if head morphology correlates with binocular vision and behavioral compensation.

Main Methods:

Visual fields were compared across three hammerhead species (winghead, scalloped, bonnethead) and two carcharhinid species (lemon, blacknose).

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Eye rotation and head yaw during swimming were quantified for each species.

Binocular overlap and anterior blind areas were analyzed in relation to head morphology.

Main Results:

Winghead sharks showed the largest binocular overlap (48°), significantly greater than carcharhinids (10-11°).
Scalloped hammerheads (34°) had greater overlap than bonnetheads (13°) and carcharhinids, while bonnetheads did not differ from carcharhinids.
Hammerhead species did not show increased eye rotation, but scalloped and bonnethead sharks exhibited greater head yaw, suggesting behavioral compensation.

Conclusions:

Hammerhead shark binocular overlap increases with lateral head expansion, supporting the 'enhanced binocular field' hypothesis.
Behavioral adaptations like head yaw compensate for anterior blind areas in some hammerhead species.
This study provides empirical evidence linking hammerhead shark head morphology to enhanced visual capabilities.