451 Abstract—The smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) is the third most Trophic ecology of the smooth hammerhead shark captured shark species in Peru, a nation with one of the largest shark (Sphyrna zygaena) off the coast of northern Peru fisheries in the Pacific Ocean. We sought to better understand the tro- Adriana Gonzalez-Pestana (contact author)1,2,3 phic ecology of this shark in north- 1,4 ern Peru by analyzing stomach Nicolas Acuña-Perales contents. From 2013 through 2015, Javier Coasaca-Cespedes1,2 we collected 485 samples of gut con- Francisco Cordova-Zavaleta1,5 tents from sharks measuring 53–294 Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto1,2,6 cm in total length. Our results show 1,6 that the smooth hammerhead is a Jeffrey C. Mangel top predator with a diet dominated Pepe Espinoza2,7 by jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gi- gas) and the Patagonian squid (Do- Email address for contact author:
[email protected] ryteuthis (Amerigo) gahi). Smooth hammerheads displayed different di- 1 ProDelphinus 5 Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina ets with different body size, and this Calle Jose Galvez 780-e Avenida La Molina s/n finding indicates that sharks change Lima 18, Peru La Molina, Lima 12, Peru their distribution and habitat during 2 development. This study represents Universidad Científica del Sur 6 Center for Ecology and Conservation the most comprehensive investiga- Panamericana Sur Km 19 College of Life and Environmental Sciences tion to date of the trophic ecology Villa El Salvador, Lima 42, Peru University of Exeter. Penryn Campus of smooth hammerhead in waters 3 James Cook University Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, United Kingdom off Peru.