TIL: How Cookiecutter Sharks Eat Is Terrifying (Explained With Cookies) | Today I Learned

in the same way you might take a

in the same way you might take a Christmas tree and stick it in dough and

Christmas tree and stick it in dough and

Christmas tree and stick it in dough and have perfect edges the cookie cutter

have perfect edges the cookie cutter

have perfect edges the cookie cutter shark is able to do this with its teeth

shark is able to do this with its teeth

shark is able to do this with its teeth a cookie cutter shark is sometimes known

a cookie cutter shark is sometimes known

a cookie cutter shark is sometimes known as a cigar shark because of the shape of

as a cigar shark because of the shape of

as a cigar shark because of the shape of its body there are deep water species

its body there are deep water species

its body there are deep water species and they’re really creepy looking they

and they’re really creepy looking they

and they’re really creepy looking they have large eyes funny shaped snouts and

have large eyes funny shaped snouts and

have large eyes funny shaped snouts and a mouth with triangulated teeth on the

a mouth with triangulated teeth on the

a mouth with triangulated teeth on the bottom and erect teeth on the top

bottom and erect teeth on the top

bottom and erect teeth on the top [Music]

[Music]

[Music] and while it has an adorable name it’s

and while it has an adorable name it’s

and while it has an adorable name it’s capable of cutting perfectly cylindrical

capable of cutting perfectly cylindrical

capable of cutting perfectly cylindrical plugs of flesh out of its victims cookie

plugs of flesh out of its victims cookie

plugs of flesh out of its victims cookie cutter sharks spend the majority of

cutter sharks spend the majority of

cutter sharks spend the majority of their time at depths below 1,000 meters

their time at depths below 1,000 meters

their time at depths below 1,000 meters so below 3,200 feet on the sea there are

so below 3,200 feet on the sea there are

so below 3,200 feet on the sea there are extremely deep water sharks but the

extremely deep water sharks but the

extremely deep water sharks but the interesting thing is that they come up

interesting thing is that they come up

interesting thing is that they come up at night hunt they are successful in

at night hunt they are successful in

at night hunt they are successful in feeding at nighttime because they have

feeding at nighttime because they have

feeding at nighttime because they have photophores which emit bioluminescent

photophores which emit bioluminescent

photophores which emit bioluminescent light which mimics smaller fish and so

light which mimics smaller fish and so

light which mimics smaller fish and so animals like dolphins whales Marlin and

animals like dolphins whales Marlin and

animals like dolphins whales Marlin and tuna think that these glowing lights on

tuna think that these glowing lights on

tuna think that these glowing lights on the cookie cutter shark are actually

the cookie cutter shark are actually

the cookie cutter shark are actually prey and when they come in to bite

prey and when they come in to bite

prey and when they come in to bite thinking that it’s a smaller fish they

thinking that it’s a smaller fish they

thinking that it’s a smaller fish they find themselves in a world of hurt

find themselves in a world of hurt

find themselves in a world of hurt because the cookie cutter shark then

because the cookie cutter shark then

because the cookie cutter shark then turns around

turns around

turns around suctions its lips and its top teeth to

suctions its lips and its top teeth to

suctions its lips and its top teeth to their body and then it spins its body

their body and then it spins its body

their body and then it spins its body ejecting a perfectly cylindrical plug of

ejecting a perfectly cylindrical plug of

ejecting a perfectly cylindrical plug of flesh the cookie cutter sharp is the

flesh the cookie cutter sharp is the

flesh the cookie cutter sharp is the only parasitic shark in the entire

only parasitic shark in the entire

only parasitic shark in the entire Animal Kingdom they are quite small the

Animal Kingdom they are quite small the

Animal Kingdom they are quite small the male’s only get up to about 16 inches

male’s only get up to about 16 inches

male’s only get up to about 16 inches with females to about 22 inches and so

with females to about 22 inches and so

with females to about 22 inches and so when they are attacking their prey they

when they are attacking their prey they

when they are attacking their prey they really only take plugs in the way that a

really only take plugs in the way that a

really only take plugs in the way that a parasite would do

and it’s quite a characteristic plug

and it’s quite a characteristic plug shape and in fact they’ve even found

shape and in fact they’ve even found

shape and in fact they’ve even found some of these plugs on the on the heads

some of these plugs on the on the heads

some of these plugs on the on the heads of nuclear submarines humans don’t

of nuclear submarines humans don’t

of nuclear submarines humans don’t encounter them very often because during

encounter them very often because during

encounter them very often because during the daytime they’re generally

the daytime they’re generally

the daytime they’re generally significantly deeper than human activity

significantly deeper than human activity

significantly deeper than human activity so unless you’re in the deep ocean in

so unless you’re in the deep ocean in

so unless you’re in the deep ocean in the middle of the night it’s probably

the middle of the night it’s probably

the middle of the night it’s probably safe to say you won’t be attacked by a

safe to say you won’t be attacked by a

safe to say you won’t be attacked by a cookie-cutter shark

cookie-cutter shark

cookie-cutter shark [Music]