September 11, 2013 “My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea...” SEA CREATURES: FACT OF THE WEEK -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow COOKIECUTTER SHARK Also known as the Cigar Shark, this small but voracious predator reaches only 42-56 cm (1.4 - 1.8 ft) in length. But don’t be fooled- it has a mean bite and goes after any prey it can find- even the Great White Shark! Cookiecutters were named deceptively: rather than producing sweet treats, they carve circular chunks out of the flesh of marine mammals and fish unfortunate enough to get too close. They have also been known to attack underwater pipes, electrical equipment and submarines! The effectiveness of the Cookiecutter Shark as a predator comes from its stealth. Its underside is covered in bright white photophores, allowing it to blend in completely with light filtering down from the surface of the ocean by A Bite at Night Cookiecutters migrate vertically in the ocean: during the day they stay at depths of 3km (1.9 mi), but when the sun sets they approach the surface to hunt. anything looking up from below. Cleverly, the Cookiecutter sports a dark “collar” around its neck, which resembles a small fish against the backdrop of the ocean and draws unsuspecting predators toward its waiting jaws. [1] A Unique Signature The Cookiecutter Shark leaves distinctive marks on its preythe Dolphin above was clearly bitten recently!
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