Isistius plutodus, Largetooth cookiecutter shark

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Isistius plutodus Garrick & Springer, 1964

Largetooth cookiecutter shark
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Isistius plutodus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Isistius plutodus (Largetooth cookiecutter shark)
Isistius plutodus
Juvenile picture by Sazima, I.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Squaliformes (Sleeper and dogfish sharks) > Dalatiidae (Sleeper sharks)
Etymology: Isistius: Etymology not explained, probably iso-, from isos (Gr.), equal; istius, from histion (Gr.), sail (i.e., dorsal fin), referring to its two similarly shaped and sized (and posterior) dorsal fins, a character Gill used to diagnose genus. José I. Castro, The Sharks of North America (Oxford University Press, 2011), suggests name may allude to the Egyptian goddess Isis, represented in statuary with her head veiled, or to the dark collar encircling throat of I. brasiliensis, “which could also suggest a veil over the head” (p. 145). This interpretation is rejected by the fact that Gill often used “istius” in the names of several genera distinguished (at least in part) by their dorsal fins (Acanthistius, Brachyistius, Caristius, Dichistius, Goniistius, Iniistius, Micromesistius, Nematistius). (See ETYFish);  plutodus: ploutos (Gr.), wealth or abundance; odon (Gr.), tooth, referring to larger size of lower jaw teeth compared with congeners. (See ETYFish).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 60 - 200 m (Ref. 52580). Subtropical; 44°N - 33°S (Ref. 52580)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Atlantic: off Alabama, USA and the Gulf of Mexico; including Brazil and West Sahara and off Azores. Northwest Pacific: off Okinawa, Japan and Australia (NSW). A very rare species (Ref. 52580).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 42.3 cm TL (female)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0. The largetooth cookiecutter shark Isistius plutodus has no collar marking around throat, a small asymmetrical caudal fin with a short ventral lobe less than half the length of dorsal caudal margin, bigger mouth and gigantic lower teeth (proportionately the largest in any living shark) in 19 rows (upper teeth = 29 rows). Eyes set well forward on head, with extensive anterior binocular field. Pectoral fins rounded, pelvic fins smaller than 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, huge, triangular-cusped teeth without blades, short, bulbous snout and a unique suctorial lips (Ref. 247).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

A very rare species known only from few localities in epipelagic waters. Apparently feeds on small epibenthic and epipelagic invertebrates and fish. Its powerful jaws, big mouth and enormous lower teeth enable it to bite off large portion of its prey in one sweeping motion. A facultative ectoparasite evidenced by its suctorial lips and feeding apparatus. It has extremely short snout and anteriorly positioned eyes which allows for binocular vision (Ref. 247). Caught by mid-water trawl (Ref. 55584). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 205). Has large oily liver which helps it to become neutrally buoyant (`hepatic float').

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Compagno, Leonard J.V. | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1984. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part 1 - Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(4/1):1-249. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 12 May 2015

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 14.1 - 25.1, mean 18.8 °C (based on 225 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.7520   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00372 (0.00141 - 0.00976), b=3.12 (2.89 - 3.35), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.2   ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low to moderate vulnerability (32 of 100).