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Kōrero: Sharks and rays

Jaws of a cookie-cutter shark

Image
Jaws of a cookie-cutter shark

The cookie-cutter shark is named for the way it cuts a wound in whales, dolphins, seals and large fish. It grips the sides of its prey with fierce jaws and gouges out a circular, cookie-shaped piece of flesh. In this photograph, new teeth along the lower jaw are ready to replace the existing ones before they wear out. Other sharks also have this feature.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Gerard Hutching, Sharks and rays – Deep-sea and unusual sharks, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/5321/jaws-of-a-cookie-cutter-shark (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Gerard Hutching, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.