Cool!

[BarryBobPosthole]

hammerhead.jpg

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/08/us/sou...html?hpt=hp_t2

(CNN) -- A team of University of South Carolina researchers has made a remarkable discovery: a rare new breed of hammerhead shark it has dubbed the Carolina hammerhead.

The shark's outward features are indistinguishable from those of the common scalloped hammerhead, a kind of low profile that allowed it to go for so long without detection, according to a USC news release.

What's new and distinct about the new species is that it has 10 fewer vertebrae than a scalloped hammerhead.


South Carolina ichthyologist Joe Quattro, a USC biology professor, helped make the discovery.

"South Carolina is a well-known pupping ground for several species of sharks, including the hammerhead," according to the USC release. "The female hammerhead will birth her young at the ocean-side fringes of the estuary; the pups remain there for a year or so, growing, before moving out to the ocean to complete their life cycle."

[LJ3]

Something about hammerheads make them the coolest sharks to me.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I've seen a few diving, in the 6-7 foot range but no big ones. I've caught a half dozen or so 3-4 footers off the Gandy Bridge between Tampa and St Pete. There's hammerheads and shovel nose and they're close kin. I had a buddy in the Air Force that was also my boss that had a 15 ft skiff that we spent quite a bit of time fishing out of. I was swimming in Tampa Bay one day to cool off and a 13 ft hammerhead was caught within the hour at the exact same spot. Luckily, hammerheads aren't too dangerous.

BKB

[Niner]

Dang. I thought the Carolina Hammerhead had red hair.