Cookiecutter Shark - Sharkworld

Phylum	Chordata
Class	Chondrichthyes
Order	Squaliformes
Family	Squalidae

Common names :	Cookiecutter shark, Cigar shark, Luminous shark, Brazilian shark.
Diet :	Attaches itself to large animals like whales, sharks, dolphins etc. and cuts out a plug of flesh .
Reproduction :	Oviparous : Females lays eggs that are coated in a hard casing and attached to rocks. The young take from 12 to 22 months to hatch.
Size :	Maximum 50 centimetres Average female 44 centimetres Average male 35 centimetres

Distribution : Worldwide in tropical oceans, often found near islands. At night, it can often be seen near the surface, but during the day it descends to depths of up to 3500 metres (over 2 miles).

Danger to man :	Harmless and unlikely to ever be encountered by swimmers or divers. Has been known to bite hands etc. of fisherman.
Economic Importance :	In some areas they attack and spoil the types of fish taken by commercial fishing operations, but as the damage is only slight, there are few financial implications. The cookiecutter has attacked the rubber casings of sonar domes on nuclear submarines, obviously mistaking it for prey.
Other Comments :	The cookiecutter has bioluminescent light organs that allows it to emit a bright green glow from it's belly. It is thought that this is used to attract potential prey towards it. The cookiecutter also swallows and digests it's own teeth as a source of calcium to strengthen it's skeleton.