Cookie Cutter Sharks and Other Delights

    When we left the dolphins at Ho'okena last week, we had yet to hear from the people at NOAA and

Cookie Cutter Shark Bite

other resources.  We were left with the question, what makes a two inch, full thickness skin lesion on a Spinner Dolphin?
    The answer is in.   And it is Cookie Cutter Sharks. Cookie Cutters are dogfish, a variety of small shark.  The species is found in all tropical oceans, especially near islands.  They are rarely seen in Hawaii, as they spend the daylight hours in very deep water and migrate to the surface at night.  They feed primarily by biting marine mammals and large fish, creating suction with their round mouth while excising a round chunk of skin.

Cookie Cutter Shark

   The Cookie Cutter Shark is a relatively poor swimmer.  It ascends at night  and hovers in areas frequented by drowsy prey.   This strategy is known as ambush hunting.   Cookie cutters certainly appear to have the sleeping area of our dolphin pod staked out.  I'm including a picture of the Cookie Cutter shark borrowed from wikipedia.  He really is an ugly spud, is he not?  I'd include a picture of the suction mouth and teeth, but I don't want to give you nightmares.    The good news is that dolphins heal these incredibly large wounds with little difficulty.  What I had assumed were beginning lesions caused by flesh-eating bacteria are undoubtedly healing cookie cutter bites.

Dragon Wrasse,  Kailua Kona Pier,  March 2013

    Well, I guess that will give you pause the next time you take a moonlight swim in a warm tropical location!  To get your mind off the hideous cookie cutter, I'm closing with a picture I recently nabbed while snorkeling at the pier.  A sweet little Dragon Wrasse is looking up at us.  This is a bit of an unusual location for Dragon Wrasse...I usually see them at Kahalu'u where the adult Rockmover is more common.  Now you have something to look for the next time you take a dip on the Ironman course.

jeff