also: あかしゅもくざめ
scalloped hammerhead; bronze hammerhead shark
Refers specifically to the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). The name アカシュモクザメ literally means 'red hammerhead shark'.
The scalloped hammerhead has a distinctive head shape that looks like a hammer.
I saw a school of scalloped hammerheads in the sea off Okinawa.
シュモクザメ is the general term for hammerhead sharks (family Sphyrnidae), while アカシュモクザメ specifies the scalloped hammerhead species.
Hiragana spelling, also used but less common than katakana for animal names.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly found in older or specialized literature; it but marks the word is listed as usually written in kana.
Compound of 赤 (aka, 'red') + 撞木鮫 (shumokuzame, 'hammerhead shark'). The 'red' likely refers to a reddish tint sometimes seen on the body. The exact origin of the name is uncertain.