This species occurs off the American continent only. In the western Atlantic it has been reported from southern Brazil to North Carolina, USA, and occasionally further north. It is also common in the Gulf of Mexico and part of the Caribbean. In the eastern Pacific it is reported from southern California to Ecuador (Compagno 1984b).
The bonnethead shark is an abundant, small coastal shark commonly found in shallow estuaries and bays over grass, mud and sandy bottoms. Off Florida?s west coast it is very abundant in shallow estuaries during the summer months and moves to deeper water off the beaches in winter (Hueter and Manire 1994). This species shows sexual segregation.