Cookiecutter shark Facts
Cookiecutter shark Facts
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| Interesting Cookiecutter shark Facts: |
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| Cookiecutter shark can reach 16.5 to 22 inches in length. Females are larger than males. |
| Cookiecutter shark has grayish brown body with dark brown throat and light-colored underparts. |
| Cookiecutter shark has long, thin body, large eyes, short, cone-shaped snout and roundish mouth equipped with few rows of sharp teeth. |
| Cookiecutter shark has extremely large (compared to the rest of the body), triangular-shaped teeth in the lower jaw. Upper jaw is filled with small, erect teeth. |
| Cookiecutter shark periodically discards and swallows entire rows of teeth from the lower jaw. It uses calcium from digested teeth to improve the strength of the skeleton. |
| Cookiecutter shark has light-emitting organs, called photophores, on the underside of the body. It can produce continuous greenish light or strobe-like, flashing light. Bioluminescence (production of light) is used mainly for the attraction of the prey. Cookiecutter shark is able to emit light up to 3 hours after death. |
| Cookiecutter shark feeds during the night. It migrates vertically toward the shallower waters (usually 300 feet deep) to find food. |
| Cookiecutter shark is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on large chunks of flesh removed from the body of large mammals and fish (most victims survive attack of cookiecutter shark). Cookiecutter shark often attacks seals, whales, dolphins, tuna, great white sharks and stingrays. It also occasionally attacks divers. Besides chunks of meat, cookiecutter shark also eats squids and crustaceans. |
| Brown-colored throat on the glowing body of shark resembles a fish (from below). Large animals approach cookiecutter shark unaware of the imminent danger. Cookiecutter shark quickly attaches to its prey with its suctorial lips and starts to spin. Sharp teeth cut piece of flesh in no time. |
| Name " cookiecutter" refers to the cookie-shaped wounds that can be seen after the attack. It is also known as "cigar shark" due to specific shape of the body. |
| Cookiecutter shark also attacks nuclear submarines and equipment used for the underwater research. |
| Cookiecutter shark lives solitary life, except during the mating season. |
| Female gives birth to 6 to 12 live babies after pregnancy of 12 to 22 months. Babies are able to fend for themselves from the moment of birth. |
| Cookiecutter sharks reach sexual maturity at the length of 14 (males) to 16 (females) inches. |
| Life span of cookiecutter shark is unknown. |
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