Biology and Ecology
The cephalofoil of the winghead shark is so large as to be almost unwieldy, while the placement of the nostrils and the ampullae of Lorenzini are wider than in non-hammerhead sharks (albeit more medial than in other hammerhead sharks). Along with its basal position in hammerhead phylogeny, this lends support to the idea that this structure originally evolved for a sensory, rather than hydrodynamic, function. The winghead shark feeds mainly on small teleost fishes, but also takes crustaceans and cephalopods.
Like other hammerhead sharks, the winghead shark is viviparous with the embryos nourished by a yolk sac placenta. Off Bombay, the young are birthed just before the monsoon season in April and May and mating takes place during the monsoon from June to August, suggesting a gestation period of eight months. Off Australia, the females give birth in February and March, after a gestation period of 10–11 months. Litters number 6 to 25 pups, with the young measuring 32–45 cm at birth. Females reproduce every year. Maturation occurs at around 110 cm.
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