# Cookiecutter Shark (*Isistius brasiliensis*) The Cookiecutter Shark is a small but fascinating fish known for its unique feeding behavior. It takes cookie-shaped bites out of larger animals like whales and dolphins! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Deep Sea - **Also known as:** Cigar Shark, Cookie Shark ![Cookiecutter Shark](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426401/objects/6011.jpg) ## Appearance The Cookiecutter Shark is a small, torpedo-shaped shark with a brown-grey body and a distinct dark band around its gills, resembling a collar. It has large green eyes and a glowing belly that helps it blend into its deep-sea environment. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Elasmobranchii - **Order:** Squaliformes - **Family:** Dalatiidae - **Genus:** Isistius ## Interesting facts - After biting on, this shark spins its body to perfectly carve out a circular piece of flesh. - Amazingly, it loses and regrows its entire set of lower teeth all at once! - It bites chunks out of large animals like whales, dolphins, and even submarines! - Its lower teeth are all joined at their base, creating a single, saw-like cutting blade. ## Special abilities - **Glow-in-the-Dark Camouflage:** Cookiecutter Shark has a glowing belly that helps it disappear in dim light, making it a tricky hunter from below. - **Perfect Punch-Out Bite:** Cookiecutter Shark can take perfect circular bites thanks to its razor-sharp, connected lower teeth and suction-cup lips. - **Deep-Sea Journeyer:** Cookiecutter Shark travels thousands of meters up and down daily, following prey from deep ocean to shallower waters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 42-56 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-30 years - **Swim Speed:** 2 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 3700 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding This tiny shark takes cookie-cutter bites out of much bigger ocean creatures! - **Primary Foods:** Tuna, Dolphins, Whales, Mackerel, Squid, Other sharks - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Yellowfin Tuna (*Thunnus albacares*) — leaves distinctive circular bite marks on tuna. - **Eats:** [Bottlenose Dolphin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bottlenose-dolphin) (*Tursiops truncatus*) — often targeted for bites while swimming in the open ocean. - **Eats:** Pygmy Sperm Whale (*Kogia breviceps*) — inflicts circular wounds on this smaller deep-diving whale. - **Eats:** Megamouth Shark (*Megachasma pelagios*) — even other large sharks are not safe from its bites. ## Traits - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Deep Sea](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deep-sea): Deep sea habitats are characterized by extreme pressure, darkness, and cold temperatures, supporting unique life forms below the sunlit zone. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Glowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/glowing): Pertaining to organisms that emit light through bioluminescence or fluorescence. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Cookiecutter Sharks live in the deep ocean and are not encountered by people. They pose no danger to humans. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cookiecutter Shark? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Cookiecutter Shark? 42-56 cm ### How much does Cookiecutter Shark weigh? 0.2-0.6 kg ### How long does Cookiecutter Shark live? 20-30 years ### What does Cookiecutter Shark eat? This tiny shark takes cookie-cutter bites out of much bigger ocean creatures! ### How fast can Cookiecutter Shark swim? 2 km/h ### Where is Cookiecutter Shark usually found? Deep Sea ### How does Cookiecutter Shark hunt? Ambush ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Cookiecutter Shark: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cookiecutter-shark)