The cookie cutter shark

[Carribeandiver]

Anyone ever heard of a Cookie Cutter Shark? Anyone ever seen one? It appears this tiny (50 cm) shark has huge teeth (for its size) and an almost perfectly round bite. It takes bites out of whales leaving a hole as if a cookie cutter took a chunk. Last night I saw a piece on Explorer or National Geographic about these strange fish because they were taking chunks out of the nose of our submarines. Apparently the subs have noses with a thick neoprene coating on them probably to deflect sonar. Experts were puzzled about what could be cutting circular holes and discovered it was Cookie Cutter Sharks.
I found a piece on the internet but have no idea how to load the link. Type cookie cutter sharks & submarines and you can pull it up.

 

[justleesa]

someone posted a picture here a while back...let me see if I can find it

 

[MSilvia]

I've heard of them, but never seen a live one. I think the natural history museum (which I don't recall the name of) in Amsterdam might have had a mounted one, but I was there years ago, and I was pretty focused on their goblin shark at the time.

 

[Walter]

Anyone ever heard of a Cookie Cutter Shark? Anyone ever seen one? It appears this tiny (50 cm) shark has huge teeth (for its size) and an almost perfectly round bite. It takes bites out of whales leaving a hole as if a cookie cutter took a chunk. Last night I saw a piece on Explorer or National Geographic about these strange fish because they were taking chunks out of the nose of our submarines. Apparently the subs have noses with a thick neoprene coating on them probably to deflect sonar. Experts were puzzled about what could be cutting circular holes and discovered it was Cookie Cutter Sharks.
I found a piece on the internet but have no idea how to load the link. Type cookie cutter sharks & submarines and you can pull it up.

I think that mystery was solved about 30+ years ago.

 

[pakman]

you mean this toothy little guy?

 

[justleesa]

Can't find the thread we had here, but here is the link to your google search. Cool stuff at the shed museum

 

[CBulla]

http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/ibrasil.htm cute little guy...

 

[cerich]

I think that mystery was solved about 30+ years ago.

yup, we were well aware of them in the 80's...