THREE RARE SHARKS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 198, 19 May 1944, Page 4

THREE RARE SHARKS

Caught At Island Bay MUSEUM ACQUISITION Three rare sharks have recently been received by the Dominion Museum. All were caught at Island Bay, where commercial interest in shark-fishing hns been stimulated by the prices paid for the livers, unusually rich in vitamin A. First, and most important, is a sixgilled shark, with a generic name of Hexanchus, species yet unknown. It was sent to the museum by the district inspector of fisheries, Mr. R. W. Kaberry. It is very rare, and, so far as the museum authorities are aware, has not previously been fount} in the Southern Hemisphere. A species of six-gilied shark, however, is known in the North Pacific, off the Cali-* fornian coast. The shark is about nine feet long. A cast of it is being made for the museum by a taxidermist, Mr. C. Lindsay. The jaws are also being preserved. These have comb-like teeth in the lower jaw and strongly pointed teeth in the upper. The other two sharks, received from Dr. Shorland, are also rare. Both are ground feeders. The first is more than four feet long, and a east of it is being made. The species was described by the Canterbury Museum ninny years ago from a specimen secured off the Kaikouras. The present specimen Is only the second One caught. The species, known to science as Cr-ntrophorus plunketi, is not found anywhere outside New Zealand waters. 'l'bo other shark is a species which might rightly be called the shovel-nose, on account of tile flat toned snout with which it digs up shell-fish and other life from the bottom of the son. It is only 40 inches long and its scientific name is Aennthidiuin kaikourae. It has been found only a few times before, never outside New Zealand waters. A cast of it already exists in the museum.