Skip to content
TrueNorthBriefQuick, clear answers for curious Canadians
Things

Cookie Cutter Shark

What is cookie cutter shark?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Scientific name Isistius brasiliensis[3]
Family Dalatiidae[4]
Size 16.5–22 inches (42–56 cm)[3]
Habitat Warm, tropical open ocean waters[3]
Common name Cigar shark[4]

The cookie cutter shark (*Isistius brasiliensis*) is a small deep-water shark named for the round, cookie-shaped wounds it leaves on larger marine animals when it feeds. It lives in warm, tropical open ocean waters and is also called the cigar shark.

Context

The cookie cutter shark is a small deep-water shark in the genus *Isistius* that gets its name from the round, cookie-shaped wounds it leaves on larger marine animals when it feeds [1]. It is also called the cigar shark [4]. It feeds by removing plugs of flesh from larger animals [1]. It migrates vertically, staying deeper during the day and moving toward surface waters at night [2]. Oceana considers it a parasite because it feeds off larger animals without killing them [2]. Britannica Kids considers it not dangerous to humans [5]. The Florida Museum reports four confirmed, unprovoked bites in Hawaii [6].

Documented claims

  • It feeds by removing plugs of flesh from larger animals. [1]
  • It migrates vertically, staying deeper during the day and moving toward surface waters at night. [2]
  • Oceana considers it a parasite because it feeds off larger animals without killing them. [2]

Questions and answers

How big do cookie cutter sharks get?

They grow to about 16.5–22 inches (42–56 cm) [3].

Why do they call it a cookie cutter shark?

It gets its name from the round, cookie-shaped wounds it leaves on larger marine animals when it feeds [1].

What happens when a cookie cutter shark bites?

It removes plugs of flesh from larger animals, leaving round wounds [1].

Are cookiecutter sharks aggressive?

Britannica Kids considers it not dangerous to humans, though there have been four confirmed, unprovoked bites in Hawaii [5] [6].

Sources

  1. cookiecutter shark — kids.britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Cookiecutter shark | Description, Feeding Habits, Attacks on People, & Facts | Britannica — britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. 14 Facts About the Cookiecutter Shark — mentalfloss.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Cookiecutter Shark — oceana.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Meet the tiny shark that uses its saw-like teeth like a cookie cutter ... — discoverwildlife.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  6. Cookiecutter shark Facts — softschools.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Things