{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "cookiecutter-shark",
  "name": "Cookiecutter Shark",
  "scientificName": "Isistius brasiliensis",
  "category": "Fish",
  "summary": "The cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis) is a small deep-sea shark that bites round plugs of flesh from whales, tuna, and submarines. Adults reach 50 cm, glow with bioluminescence, and are Least Concern.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Chondrichthyes",
    "order": "Squaliformes",
    "family": "Dalatiidae",
    "genus": "Isistius"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.7,
    "lengthM": 0.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 15,
    "lifespanYears": 25
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Isistius brasiliensis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (ectoparasitic bites)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Open ocean midwaters"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "20–30 years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "0.5–1 kg"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "up to 15 km/h"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Tropical oceans worldwide.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "South America",
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Oceania"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cookiecutter-shark/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cookiecutter-shark/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}