bonnethead

American  

[bon-it-hed] / ˈbɒn ɪtˌhɛd /

noun

1. a hammerhead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, found in shallow waters from Brazil to Massachusetts, having a spade-shaped head.

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Etymology

Origin of bonnethead

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; bonnet + head

Example Sentences

"It's the perfect qualities of the bonnethead that allowed us do it with this species," said Byrum.

From Science Daily • Sep. 28, 2023

This is often reported in captive animals, including the bonnethead shark, where animals are kept in single-sex enclosures.

From Scientific American • Jun. 9, 2023

The menus lean toward seafood, which is no surprise, given the proximity of the Gulf; a specialty in Campeche is pan de cazon, a combination of corn tortillas, habanero sauce and bonnethead shark.

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2022

But the bonnethead has the same short intestines as its hammerhead relatives, not the longer guts that plant eaters use to digest fibrous material.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 7, 2018

“They look pretty fierce but they are somewhat docile,” Sarasota Mayor Richard Clapp said of the bonnethead sharks, which eat crustaceans and small fish, not politicians.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2010