Sphyrna tudes
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The smalleye hammerhead shark faces severe population declines primarily due to intensive fishing pressure throughout its range in the western Atlantic. This species is particularly vulnerable to both targeted fishing and bycatch in gillnet and longline fisheries, with its shallow coastal habitat overlapping extensively with high-intensity fishing zones. The species' slow reproductive rate and late maturity make population recovery extremely difficult once depleted.
Habitat
The smalleye hammerhead inhabits shallow coastal waters, continental shelves, and nearshore environments in the western Atlantic Ocean. This species typically occurs in waters less than 40 meters deep, preferring sandy and muddy bottoms where it feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
