Largetooth cookiecutter shark

Taxobox
name = Largetooth cookiecutter shark
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend =


image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
subregnum = Deuterostomia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Chondrichthyes
subclassis = Elasmobranchii
ordo = Squaliformes
familia = Dalatiidae
genus = "Isistius"
species = "I. plutodus"
range_

---

range_map_width = 200px
range_map_caption = Range of largetooth cookiecutter shark (in blue)
binomial = "Isistius plutodus"
binomial_authority = Garrick & Springer, 1964The largetooth cookiecutter shark, "Isistius plutodus", is a sleeper shark of the family Dalatiidae found in the western Atlantic Ocean off Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico including Brazil, and the northwest Pacific Ocean off Okinawa, at depths of between 880 and 6,440 m. Its length is up to 42 cm.

The largetooth cookiecutter shark has an extremely short snout, and anteriorly positioned eyes which allows for binocular vision. It has no collar marking around the throat, a small asymmetrical caudal fin with a short ventral lobe less than half the length of the dorsal caudal margin, bigger mouth and gigantic lower teeth (proportionately the largest in any living shark) in 19 rows (upper teeth = 29 rows). The pectoral fins are rounded, with the pelvic fins smaller than the dorsal fins. As with the other member of the genus "Isistius", it has a characteristic small cigar-shaped body with two small close-set spineless dorsal fins far posterior on back, no anal fin, and huge, triangular-cusped teeth. It has a large oily liver which helps it to become neutrally buoyant. Its powerful jaws, big mouth and enormous lower teeth enable it to bite off large portion of its prey in one sweeping motion.

Reproduction is ovoviviparous.

ee also

* List of sharks
* Deep sea fish

References

*