Living BeingsCompare species
Scalloped Hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
African Savanna Elephant
Loxodonta africana
How to compare two organisms
Choose two species and trace their closest shared group. Then compare a trait with the same definition on each side. Check the units, life stage and context before interpreting a measurement or range.
Missing data means that the collection lacks a sourced value. Where a characteristic does not apply to a lineage, the comparison labels it separately. Open the two profiles for context and follow their sources before drawing a conclusion.
Evidence from the profiles
Compare their characteristics
| Trait | Scalloped Hammerhead | African Savanna Elephant |
|---|---|---|
| Physical traits | The head is broad and flattened, with a curved, indented front margin. The body has a tall first dorsal fin and a pale underside. | Broad ears, a long trunk and column-like legs give the animal its familiar outline. The trunk tip has two finger-like projections. Both sexes can develop tusks. |
| Habitat and range | Coastal shelves, island slopes and offshore waters are used at different ages and times. | Savannas and open woodland provide a shifting mixture of browse, grass, shade and drinking water. Seasonal water availability influences the places that herds use. |
| Diet and nutrition | Fish and cephalopods are important prey. Feeding changes as sharks move from coastal juvenile habitat to deeper waters. | Grasses, leaves, bark and other plant material make up its diet. The trunk gathers food and moves it to the mouth. |
| Behavior and activity | Schooling and movements between daytime gathering sites and feeding areas are characteristic in some populations. | Female relatives and their young form long-lasting social groups. Older females hold knowledge of familiar routes and resources; adult males have a different pattern of association. |
| Reproduction and life cycle | Females give birth to live young. Shallow coastal habitats provide nursery areas for juveniles. | Calves are born alive and depend on milk and extended social care. Learning from other elephants is an important part of growing up. |
| Geographic distribution | The species occurs in warm seas around the world. Its presence is uneven, and local populations can be strongly depleted. | Native to sub-Saharan Africa. This account follows the savanna-elephant species concept rather than treating all African elephants as one species. |
| Ecological role | These sharks are large marine predators and also host parasites and visiting cleaner fish. | Feeding and movement alter vegetation, and dung transfers seeds and nutrients. Habitat fragmentation and killing for ivory threaten populations. |
| Distinctive adaptations | The expanded head spreads sensory organs across a broad surface, supporting prey detection. | Data unavailable |
| Conservation | Targeted fishing, bycatch and loss of nursery habitat are major pressures. Protection needs to consider more than adult aggregation sites. | Data unavailable |
Classification
Shared ancestry
Closest shared taxon: Gnathostomata.