Banded archerfish colourations, such as yellow, have been observed. Four to six broad black bars may be present on the dorsal side. The first bar is found anterior to the operculum, the bony plate covering the gills, and the second is found behind the operculum. The third bar is found below the origin of the dorsal fin, the fourth bar below the soft dorsal, and the fifth (if any) on the area between the anal fin and caudal fin (caudal peduncle). These bars become shorter as the fish ages. The lateral line curves upwards at the area between the fourth and ninth
Largetooth cookiecutter shark and sparsely scattered light-emitting photophores on the belly. Most specimens have lacked the dark "collar" found on the throat of "I. brasiliensis". However, a specimen caught in 2004 off the Azores did possess the collar. The maximum recorded length is . Based on its smaller dorsal and caudal fins, the largetooth cookiecutter shark is believed to be less active than "I. brasiliensis" and an overall weak swimmer. Much of its body cavity is occupied by an enormous oil-filled liver, which allows it to maintain neutral buoyancy in the water column with little effort. Unlike "I. brasiliensis", this shark possesses binocular