Winghead shark
📖 Overview
Found in shallow water on continental and insular shelves . Enters estuaries . Feeds mainly on small teleost fishes but also takes crustaceans and cephalopods . Viviparous , with 6 to 25 pups in a litter . Has a remarkable wing-shaped head which is nearly or quite half of its body length, the function of which is uncertain, maybe for maneuvering or for increasing the surface area of some of the sense organs . Probably harmless to people . Caught commonly, but in low numbers, by inshore gillnet fisheries. Particularly common in catches off Kalimantan. Probably a common fisheries species where it occurs . Meat utilized for human consumption; liver is a source of vitamin oil . Offal probably utilized for fishmeal . Reported to reach 300 cm TL .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Grey or grey-brown above, paler below. Expanded lateral blades of head very narrow and wing-like, with a series of small bumps along edges in front of nostrils; width across head 40 or 50% of total length. Nostrils enormously expanded, each nearly 2 times the mouth head (Ref 13562).: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Winghead shark is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Viviparous, placental , with 6 to 25 in a litter after a gestation period of 8 -11 months . Size at birth between 32 and 45 cm TL .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; brackish; benthopelagic; amphidromous . Tropical; 31°N - 20°S, 47°E - 154°E West Pacific: Persian Gulf to the Philippines, north to China, south to Australia.
🌿 Ecology
small teleost fishes but also takes crustaceans and cephalopods (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Winghead shark is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18.9 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 129 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Winghead shark has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Arrow headed hammerhead · Arrow-headed hammer-head · Arrowhead · Arrowhead Shark · Slender Hammerhead · winghead shark |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Abul-garn · Aqrun · Jarjur · قرش المطرقة الشراعي · قرش ذو الرأس الجناحي |
| 🌍CES | kladivoun Blochův |
| 🇩🇪German | Flügelkopf-Hammerhai |
| 🌍EST | haamerhai |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | siipipäähai |
| 🇫🇷French | Requin marteau planeur · Requin-marteau planeur |
| 🌍GUJ | Kaner · Kannar · કનર · કન્નર |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | szárnyas pörölycápa |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Squalo martello alato |
| 🌍JAV | Cucut kopral · Cucutronggeng · Hiu caping · Ronggeng |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | インドシュモクザメ |
| 🌍KAN | Kebichatte · Kebithatte · Khan mushi · Khan-mushi · ಕೆಬಿಛಟ್ಟೇ · ಖನ್ ಮುಶಿ |
| 🌍MAL | Chetta sravu · Kahnakodi · Kannan kodi · കഞ്ഞകൊടി · കണകോടി · കണ്ണന് കൊടി |
| 🌍MAR | Kanar · Zori · झोरी |
| 🌍MSA | Kad suar · Yu bengkong · Yu jerung · Yu mata jauh · Yu palang · Yu sambaran · Yu sanggl · Yu sanggul lintang · Yu tanduk · Yu tukul · Yu-tukul palang |
| 🌍MYA | Nga-man-kwe |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Vleugelkophamerhaai |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Tubarão-martelo-cabeça-de-flecha |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Большеголовая молот-рыба |
| 🌍SND | Doka |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Cornuda planeadora · Tiburón cabeza de flecha |
| 🌍TAM | Koman sorrah · Komban-sorrah · கொம்பன் சுரா · கோமன் சுரா |
| 🌍TEL | Kama sorrah · Sappa sorrah · Sappa-sorrah · సప్ప సొర్రా |
| 🌍TGL | Pating |
| 🌍THA | ปลาฉลามหัวค้อนยาว |
| 🌍VIE | Cá Nhám cào |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 3 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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