Tiger Shark [Galeocerdo cuvier]
Description
The Tiger Shark is a large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over 5 m (16 ft 5 in). It is found in many tropical and temperate waters, and it is especially common around central Pacific islands. Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body, which resemble a tiger's pattern and fade as the shark matures. The Tiger Shark is a solitary, mostly nocturnal hunter, and is notable for having the widest food spectrum of all sharks, with a range of prey that includes crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, sea snakes, dolphins, and even other smaller sharks.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Cartilaginous Fish
Chondrichthyes
|
| Order |
Ground Sharks
Carcharhiniformes
|
| Family |
Narrowtooth Sharks
Carcharhinidae
|
| Genus |
Tiger Sharks
Galeocerdo
|