Hotspots within hotspots? Hammerhead shark movements around Wolf Island, Galapagos Marine Reserve

Research at Wolf Island, part of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, reveals that scalloped hammerhead sharks and other pelagic species exhibit non-uniform distribution even within known biodiversity hotspots. Using ultrasonic transmitters, vessel-based tracking, and visual censuses, scientists found these species aggregate predominantly in the southeastern corner of Wolf Island, rather than uniformly across the site or around nearby Darwin Island. This fine-scale clustering suggests that hammerhead sharks can serve as indicator and umbrella species for pelagic biodiversity hotspots, offering insights into the spatial organization of marine life.

Hearn, A., Ketchum, J., Klimley, A. P., Espinoza, E., & Peñaherrera, C. (2010). Hotspots within hotspots? Hammerhead shark movements around Wolf Island, Galapagos Marine Reserve. Marine Biology, 157(9), 1899–1915. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1460-2