The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, named for the unusual and distinctive form of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a cephalofoil. The shark's eyes are placed one on each end of this T-shaped structure, with their small mouths directly centered and underneath. Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna, while the winghead shark is placed in its own genus, Eusphyra. Many different—but not necessarily mutually exclusive—functions have been postulated for the cephalofoil, including sensory reception, manoeuvering, and prey manipulation. The cephalofoil gives the shark superior binocular vision and depth perception.
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 17 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m (6.6 ft) and is believed to live up to 50 years.
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
A conservation-dependent species is a species which has been categorized as "Conservation Dependent" ("LR/cd") by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as dependent on conservation efforts to prevent it from becoming endangered. A species that is reliant on the conservation attempts of humans is considered conservation dependent. Such species must be the focus of a continuing species-specific and/or habitat-specific conservation program, the cessation of which would result in the species qualifying for one of the threatened categories within a period of five years. The determination of status is constantly monitored and can change.
The greenback horse mackerel or greenback scad is a species of jack in the family Carangidae, found around western and southern Australia, and around New Zealand, from the surface to depths of 460 m. Its length is up to 64 cm.
Zu cristatus, the scalloped ribbonfish, is a ribbonfish of the family Trachipteridae found circumglobally in all oceans at tropical latitudes, at depths down to 90 m. Its length is up to 118 cm, and the weight is around 4000 g. An adult specimen of Z. cristatus was captured at a depth of 720 m off the cost of Italy. They are reported to eat squid, fish, and crustaceans.
The scalloped bonnethead is a rare, little-known species of hammerhead shark in the family Sphyrnidae. Its other common names include the mallethead shark and the crown shark. It is found in tropical and subtropical waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, from Mexico to Peru, and possibly as far north as the Gulf of California. It frequents inshore habitats over soft bottoms to a depth of 100 m, and also enters mangroves and estuaries.
The scoophead is a little-known species of hammerhead shark, part of the family Sphyrnidae. It inhabits the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, from Panama to southern Brazil, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California to Ecuador, and probably northern Peru, as well. It is found in shallow, inshore habitats.
The scalloped hammerhead is a species of hammerhead shark in the family Sphyrnidae. It was originally known as Zygaena lewini. The Greek word sphyrna translates into "hammer" in English, referring to the shape of this shark's head, which is its most distinguishing characteristic. The shark's eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions. It is a fairly large hammerhead, but is still smaller than both the great and smooth hammerheads.
The chestnut-breasted mannikin, also known as the chestnut-breasted munia or bully bird, is a small brown-backed munia with a black face and greyish crown and nape. It has a broad ferruginous breast bar above a white belly. The species is found in Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. This species has also been introduced to French Polynesia.
Agassiz's perchlet, also known as Agassiz's glass fish and the olive perchlet, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae. It is semi-transparent with dark scale edges forming a pattern over most of the body. It grows to a maximum of 7.5 cm. It is a macrophyte spawner with adhesive eggs. It is endemic to Australia. It was named for the zoologist Louis Agassiz.
Ambassis is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae, the Asiatic glassfishes. They are found widely in the Indo-Pacific region, with species in fresh, brackish and coastal marine waters.
The yellow-fin perchlet is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae. It is endemic to Australia where it has only been recorded from the three rivers which drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Queensland. They are found in freshwater creeks and rivers with marginal vegetation, frequently recorded from freshwater streams that have quite high turbidity levels.
Ambassis fontoynonti, commonly known as the dusky glass perch, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae. It is endemic to rivers in eastern Madagascar. Its natural habitat is rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss. The specific name honours the pathologist Maurice Fontoynont (1869-1948) who was president of the Malagasy Academy.
The American Elephant Fish, commonly referred to as the cockfish, belongs to the family Callorhinchidae, a unique group of cartilaginous fishes. This species has a striking appearance, characterized by a silver to gray body with prominent brown spots concentrated on the dorsal half of the fish and on the fins. Subtle hues of pink are also present around areas such as the mouth and fins. Its broad pectoral fins play a critical role in stabilization, allowing the fish to maintain balance on the ocean floor, while its heterocercal tail, a feature common among cartilaginous fishes, is highly effective for maneuvering within the water column. The asymmetrical structure is essential for tasks such as ascending, descending, and making sharp turns.
The Carolina hammerhead is a species of hammerhead shark, and part of the family Sphyrnidae, found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Their pupping grounds are in nearshore waters off the southeastern U.S. with the highest concentrations found in Bulls Bay, South Carolina. The Carolina hammerhead has also been found in nearshore waters off of Brazil. It was formally described in 2013. It is currently classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation.
Ambassis marianus, commonly known as the estuary perchlet, Ramsay's glassfish, estuary glassfish or glass perchlet, is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae. It is native to coastal eastern Australia. It gains its common name from its transparent appearance.
Ambassis miops, commonly known as the flag-tailed glassfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Ambassidae. It is native to eastern Australia. It is found only in a few coastal sites along the North Queensland coast. A distinguishing feature of this species is a tiny spine is situated above the rear corner of the eye.
Ambassis jacksoniensis, commonly known as the Port Jackson glassfish or Port Jackson perchlet, is a species of fish in the family Ambassidae native to eastern Australia. It gains its common name from its transparent appearance.
The smooth handfish is a possibly extinct species of handfish in the genus Sympterichthys. It was likely endemic to waters off the coast of Tasmania, mainly the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. It was declared extinct by the IUCN Red List in 2020, marking the first entirely marine fish classified as such. However, in 2021 its status was changed to Data Deficient due to uncertainties over the exhaustiveness of the unsuccessful surveys to find this species. It is known only from its holotype collected by French explorers in 1802.
