The most famous animal that plays dead is the possum. In fact ' Don't play possum' is a famous phrase used when you want someone to pay attention to the situation and not appear appear dead and aloof. Animals play dead for 2 main reasons: To ward off predators To hunt It's not healthy for a predator to eat an 'already-dead' animal because the dead animal could be rotten, diseased or poisoned. (This is one why reason people are instructed to lay down and play dead when seeing a bear). Examples of animals that play dead to ward off predators are: Sharks - When a shark is flipped belly up it plays dead Hognose snake -when in danger, the hognose snake flips belly-up, opens its mouth wide and sometimes causes blood drops to drip off the sides. It then realeases a nasty, deatly smell. Examples of animals that play dead to hunt are: Fish - the Parachromis friedrichsthalii fish plays dead so that when smaller fish swim passed it- Gulp! he eats them up! Beetles- The pselaphid beetle plays dead and tricks ants to bringing it to the main nest. When inside the beetel springs to life and munches on all the ants. Note: Playing dead can be caused by an involuntary reflex called tonic immobility – which is outside an organism's control – and thanatosis, where death is knowingly being feigned and is under an organism's control. .