Cookiecutter Shark facts: they could make jack-o-lanterns with their mouths! | Animal Fact Files

Cookiecutter sharks get their common name from the half sphere impressions they make in the flesh of their prey. These parasitic animals will draw the attention of larger animals and quickly attach to the larger animal with suctioncup like lips. Then the cookiecutter shark will dig in a twist in order to pull out a perfectly round chunk of meat from the body of the larger animal. They'll leave behind scars, though the large animals typically won't die from these injuries. Cookiecutter sharks spend their days in the deep ocean but come to the surface at night to feed. They can produce light in order to attract animals to them.

Scientific Name: Genus - Isistius
Range: temperate and tropical marine waters, often near islands but also associated with open ocean
Size: about 20in (50.8cm) at full size
Diet: crustaceans and squid as well as flesh from larger animals including white sharks, orcas and other dolphins, whales, seals, and more
Lifespan: unknown

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