Tiger shark 233217 226175739 2008-07-17T04:26:42Z Landon1980 6681090 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/72.199.127.24|72.199.127.24]] ([[User talk:72.199.127.24|talk]]) to last version by Tom {{otheruses}} {{Taxobox | name = Tiger shark | fossil_range = Early [[Eocene]] to Present<ref>{{cite journal | last = Sepkoski | first = Jack | title= A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry) | journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology | volume = 364 | issue = | pages = p.560 | publisher = | location = | date = 2002 | url = http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=575&rank=class | doi = | id = | accessdate = 2008-01-09 }}</ref> | status = LR/nt | status_system = IUCN2.3 | trend = unknown | status_ref =<ref name="iucn">{{IUCN2006|assessors=Simpfendorfer|year=2000|id=39378|title=Galeocerdo cuvier|downloaded=[[11 May]] [[2006]]}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened </ref> | image = Tiger shark in Mediterranean Sea, Antalya Kaş.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Tiger shark in [[Antalya]],[[Kaş]] | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Chondrichthyes]] | subclassis = [[Elasmobranchii]] | ordo = [[Carcharhiniformes]] | familia = [[Carcharhinidae]] | genus = '''''Galeocerdo''''' | genus_authority = [[Johannes Peter Müller|Müller]] & [[Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle|Henle]], 1837 | species = '''''G. cuvier''''' | binomial = ''Galeocerdo cuvier'' | binomial_authority = [[François Péron|Péron]] & [[Charles Alexandre Lesueur|Lesueur]], 1822 | range_map = Galeocerdo cuvier distmap.png | range_map_width = 250px | range_map_caption = Tiger shark range | synonyms = ''Squalus cuvier'' <small>[[François Péron|Peron]] and [[Charles Alexandre Lesueur|Lessueur]], 1822</small><br>''Galeocerdo tigrinus'' <small>[[Johannes Peter Müller|Müller]] and [[Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle|Henle]], 1837</small> }} [[Image:Tiger shark Antalya bitting camera.jpg|300px|thumb|Tiger shark in [[Kaş]] biting diver's camera.]] {{Sharksportal}} The '''tiger shark''', ''Galeocerdo cuvier'', the second largest predatory [[shark]] (after the [[great white shark]]), is the only member of the [[genus]] '''''Galeocerdo'''''. Mature sharks average {{Convert|3.25|m|ft|0}} to {{Convert|4.25|m|ft|0|lk=on}}<ref name="Florida">{{cite web|url=http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Tigershark/tigershark.htm |title= Tiger Shark Biological Profile| publisher=[[Florida Museum of Natural History]] Icthyology Department |accessdate=2005-01-22 }}</ref><ref name="MarineBio">{{cite web|url=http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=37 |title=Galeocerdo cuvier Tiger Shark| publisher=Marine Bio |accessdate=2006-10-14 }}</ref> and weigh 385 to 909&nbsp;[[kilogram|kg]] (850 to 2000&nbsp;[[pound (weight)|lb]]).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sharks/FS_Tiger.htm | title = Fact Sheet - Tiger Shark | publisher = [[NOAA]] | accessdate = 2007-09-28}}</ref> It is found in many of the tropical and temperate regions of the world's oceans, and is especially common around islands in the central [[Pacific]]. This shark is a solitary hunter, usually hunting at night. Its name is derived from the dark stripes down its body, which fade as the shark matures. The tiger shark is a [[predator]], known for eating a wide range of items. Its usual diet consists of [[fish]], [[Pinniped|seals]], [[birds]], smaller [[shark]]s, [[squid]], and [[turtle]]s. It has sometimes been found with man-made waste such as [[license plate]]s or pieces of old [[tire]]s in its [[digestive tract]]. It is notorious for attacks on swimmers, divers and [[surfing|surfers]] in [[Hawaii]] and is often referred to as "the wastebasket of the sea". A tiger shark may be easily identified due to its dark stripes which are similar to a [[tiger]] pattern. It also has [[dorsal fin]]s that are distinctively close to its tail. These sharks are often large in size and may encounter humans because they often visit shallow reefs, harbours and canals. The tiger shark is second only to the great white shark, coming close with the [[bull shark]] in number of recorded attacks on humans<ref name="sharkAttackStats">{{cite web|url=http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/Statistics/species2.htm |title= ISAF Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark| publisher=[[Florida Museum of Natural History]] University of Florida |accessdate=2008-05-04 }}</ref> and is considered, along with the great white, bull shark, and the [[oceanic whitetip shark]] to be one of the sharks most dangerous to humans.<ref>{{cite book| last=Daley |first=Audrey|date=1994 |title=Shark |publisher=Hodder & Stroughton |id= ISBN 0-340-61654-7}}</ref> This may be due to its aggressive nature and frequency of human contact as it often inhabits populated waters such as Hawaiian beaches. ==Taxonomy== The shark was first described by [[François Péron|Peron]] and [[Charles Alexandre Lesueur|Lessueur]] in 1822 and was given the name ''Squalus cuvier''.<ref name="ITIS">{{cite web|url=http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=160189|title=ITIS report, Galeocerdo cuvier| publisher=[[ITIS|Taxonomic Information System]] |accessdate=2006-09-22 }}</ref> [[Johannes Peter Müller|Müller]] and [[Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle|Henle]], in 1837 renamed it ''Galeocerdo tigrinus''.<ref name="Florida"/> The genus, ''Galeocerdo'', is derived from the Greek, ''galeos'' which means shark and the Latin ''cerdus'' which means the hard hairs of pigs.<ref name="Florida"/> It is often colloquially called the man-eater shark.<ref name="Florida"/> The tiger shark is a member of the order [[Carcharhiniformes]];<ref name="ITIS"/> members of this order are characterized by the presence of a [[nictitating membrane]] over the eyes, two dorsal fins, an [[anal fin]], and five [[gill]] slits. It is the largest member of the [[Carcharhinidae]] [[Family (biology)|family]], commonly referred to as [[requiem shark]]s. This family includes some other well known sharks such as the [[blue shark]], [[lemon shark]] and [[bull shark]]. The largest tiger shark specimen was 7.3 [[metre|m]] (24 [[foot (measurement)|ft]]) and is a contender for the largest [[carnivore|carnivorous]] fish alongside the great white shark. {{Fact|date=March 2008}} ==Distribution== The tiger shark is often found close to the coast, in mainly tropical and sub-tropical waters, though they can reside in temperate waters. Tiger sharks are the second largest predatory shark other that the great white.<ref name="Florida"/> The shark's behavior is primarily [[nomadic]], but is guided by warmer currents, and it stays closer to the equator throughout the colder months. The shark tends to stay in deep waters that line reefs but does move into channels to pursue prey in shallower waters. In the western [[Pacific Ocean]], the shark has been found as far north as [[Japan]] and as far south as [[New Zealand]].<ref name="fishbase">{{cite web|url=http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=886|title=Galeocerdo cuvier| publisher=[[Fishbase]] |accessdate=2006-09-28}}</ref> The shark has been recorded down to a depth of {{Convert|350|m|ft|-2}}<ref name="Florida"/> but is also known to move into shallow water - water that would normally be considered too shallow for a species of its size. It is also frequently found in river estuaries and harbors. At night it is usually found in shallow water. ==Anatomy and appearance== Its skin can typically range from a blue to light green with a white or light yellow underbelly. The distinguishing dark spots and stripes are most outstanding in young sharks and fade as the shark matures. Tiger sharks regularly weigh 385 to 635 [[kilogram|kg]] and is usually 3 m to 6 m long. The heaviest tiger shark recorded to date, was caught in [[Newcastle, NSW]], Australia in 1954 and measured 7.3 m, scaled 1,524 kg. It has been estimated that the tiger shark can swim at a maximum speed of around 32 [[km/h]], with short bursts of higher speeds that last only a few seconds. The tiger shark's head is somewhat wedge-shaped, which makes it easy for the shark to turn quickly to one side. Tiger sharks, as with other sharks, have small pits on the side of their upper bodies which hold electrical sensors called the [[ampullae of lorenzini]], enabling them to detect small muscle movements of other creatures, allowing them to hunt in darkness. In addition, the tiger shark, like many other sharks, has a mirror-like covering behind their retina called tapetum lucidum that is exposed in darkness to reflect light that has already been seen by the retina back at it as to allow the shark to see better. The tapetum lucidum is covered in bright light, however, so the shark is not blinded by an excess of light. A tiger shark generally has long fins and a long upper tail; the long fins act like wings and provide lift as the shark maneuvers through water, whereas the long tail provides bursts of speed. A tiger shark normally swims using little movements of its body. Its high back and dorsal fin act as a pivot, allowing it to spin quickly on its axis. Its teeth are flat, triangular, notched and serrated. Like most sharks, when a tiger shark loses or breaks one of its teeth, it grows a replacement tooth. The distinctive teeth seem to have evolved to be able to cut through turtle shells, and an adult tiger shark can easily bite through bone. ==Diet== The tiger shark, which generally hunts at night, has a reputation for eating anything it has access to, ignoring what [[nutrition]]al value the prey may or may not hold.<ref name="Florida" /> Apart from what is thought to be sporadic feeding, its most common foods include; common [[fish]], [[squid]], [[birds]], [[Pinniped|seals]], other sharks, and [[sea turtle]]s.<ref name="Florida"/> The shark has a number of features which make it a good hunter, such as excellent [[eyesight]], which allows for access to murkier waters which can offer more varieties of prey and its acute [[olfaction|sense of smell]] which enable it to react to faint traces of blood in its waters and is able to follow them to the source. The tiger shark's ability to pick up on low-frequency pressure waves produced by the movements of swimming animals, for example the thrashing of an injured animal, enables the shark to find a variety of prey. The shark is known to be [[aggressive]]. The ability to pick up low-frequency pressure waves enables the shark to advance towards an animal with confidence, even in the environment of murky water where it is often found.<ref name="overview">{{cite web|url=http://ladywildlife.com/animal/tigershark.html|title=Tiger Shark| publisher=ladywildlife.com |accessdate=2006-12-21 }}</ref> The shark is known to circle its prey and even study it by prodding it with its snout.<ref name="overview"/> When attacking the shark devours all of its prey.<ref name="overview"/> Because of its aggressive nature of feeding, it is common to find a variety of foreign objects inside the digestive tract of a tiger shark. Some examples of more unusual items are automobile [[Vehicle registration plate|number plates]], [[petroleum]] cans, [[tire]]s, [[Armor|suits of armour]], and [[Baseball (object)|baseballs]]. For this reason, the tiger shark is often regarded as the ocean's garbage can. <!--Unsourced:Recent information contradicts the notion that the tiger shark is a random and aggressive feeder, a description that has haunted the shark for the past 100 years. Although little has been documented on its behavior, in particular its feeding patterns, suggestions have been made that the tiger shark represents a high type of specialization, meaning that when its common food supply is low, it has the ability to modify its regular diet to incorporate other forms of prey.--> ==Reproduction== The tiger shark breeds by internal fertilization. It is the only species in its family that is [[ovoviviparous]]; like mammals, it gives birth to live young.<ref name="Florida"/> The male tiger shark will insert one of its [[clasper]]s into the female's genital opening (cloaca), acting as a guide for the sperm to be introduced. The male uses its teeth to hold the female still during the procedure, often causing the female considerable discomfort. Mating in the northern hemisphere will generally take place between the months of March and May, with the young being born around April or June the following year. In the southern hemisphere, mating takes place in November, December, or early January.<ref name="Florida"/> The young are nourished inside the mother's body for up to between 14 to 16 months, where the female can produce a litter ranging from 10 to 80 pups.<ref name="Florida"/> A newborn tiger shark is generally {{Convert|51|cm|in|0}} to {{Convert|76|cm|in|0}} long<ref name="Florida"/> and leaves its mother upon birth. It is unknown how long tiger sharks live, but it has been speculated to be 20 years. ==Dangers and conservation== [[Image:Tiger shark caught in bay.jpg|thumb|right|A tiger shark caught in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu in 1966.]] Although [[shark attack]]s on humans are a relatively rare phenomenon, the tiger shark is responsible for a large percentage of the fatal attacks that do occur on humans, and is regarded as one of the most dangerous species of sharks. Tiger sharks reside in [[temperate]] and [[tropical]] waters. They are often found in river estuaries and harbours, as well as shallow water close to shore, where they are bound to come into contact with humans. Because of their curious nature of feeding it is expected that a tiger shark would normally attack a human if it came in contact with it. Tiger sharks are known to dwell in waters with runoff, such as where a river enters the ocean. Tiger sharks have become a recurring problem in [[Hawaii]] and are considered the most dangerous shark species in Hawaiian waters. They are considered to be sacred 'aumakua' or ancestor spirits by the native Hawaiians, however between 1959 and 1976, 4,668 tiger sharks were hunted down in an effort to control what was proving to be detrimental to the [[tourism]] industry. Despite these numbers, little decrease was ever detected in the attacks on humans. It is illegal to feed sharks in Hawaii and any interaction with them such as cage diving is discouraged.<ref name="WPRFMC">{{cite web|url=http://www.wpcouncil.org/press/2006Oct23_PRESSRELEASE_135CM.pdf|title=Federal Fishery Managers Vote To Prohibit Shark Feeding| publisher=Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council|accessdate=2007-06-15 }}}}</ref> While the tiger shark is not directly commercially fished, it is caught for its [[Fish anatomy#Fins|fins]], [[flesh]], [[liver]], which is a valuable source of [[retinol|vitamin A]] used in the production of vitamin oils, and distinct skin, as well as by [[big-game fishing|big game]] fishers.<ref name="Florida"/> ==Trivia== * Known as "[[The Shark Arm case]]," in 1935, Australian gangster [[James Smith]]'s arm was found in the stomach of a tiger shark. One of his crooked partners admitted to the crime, saying he killed James and hid him in a metal box, then cut the arm off because it wouldn't fit.<ref>Angry Animals, Nick Arnold</ref> == In popular culture== [[Image:Tiger shark teethat art item.JPG|Hawaiian art item with tiger shark teeth|250px|thumb]] * In the first ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'' film, the first shark caught was a tiger shark. * In 2007, [[Discovery Channel]] presented a special: '''''Deadly Stripes: Tiger Sharks''''', for its annual [[Shark Week]]. During the show, South African shark scientist Mark Addison swam several times with a tiger shark he named "Dolores." The show contained footage of Addison hand-feeding the shark and even getting "rides" by holding onto the shark's dorsal fin for short periods of time. Addison claims that Dolores was able to recognize him on later trips to the same location.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2007/07/shark-week-dead.html | publisher = [[LA Times]] | title = Shark Week: 'Deadly Stripes: Tiger Sharks' | accessdate = 2007-09-28 | date = [[2007-07-30]]}}</ref> * Appearances in [[Deep Blue Sea]] as one tiger shark mutant * In [[The Spy Who Loved Me]], The villain ''Jaws'' battles a juvenile tiger shark and ends the fight by giving the shark a fatal bite. * The novel ''[[Life of Pi]]'' by [[Yann Martel]] features an appearance. * The book ''A Pattern of Islands'' (1952) by [[Arthur Grimble]] describes accomplished Pacific islanders killing tiger sharks underwater in single combat, using only a knife. ==See also== * [[List of sharks]] * [[List of fatal, unprovoked shark attacks in the United States by decade]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ;General references {{refbegin}} * {{FishBase_species|genus=Galeocerdo|species=cuvier|year=2005|month=March}} * {{ITIS|ID=160189|taxon=Galeocerdo cuvier|year=2006|date=7 April}} * {{Marinebio|id=37|name=Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier}} * {{eol|17055789|Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier}} * [http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/sharks/species/Tigershark.shtml General information] ''Enchanted Learning''. Retrieved [[January 22]], [[2005]]. * [http://www.sharkinfo.ch/SI1_99e/attacks2.html Different diet information] ''Shark Info''. Retrieved [[January 22]], [[2005]]. * [http://www2.hawaii.edu/~carlm/tigershark.html Tiger sharks in Hawaii] ''Research program''. Retrieved [[January 22]], [[2005]]. {{refend}} ==External links== {{Commons|Galeocerdo cuvier}} {{wikispecies|Galeocerdo cuvier}} * [http://www.sharkresearch.com Tracking research on tiger sharks] * [http://www.shark-pictures.com/pictures/tiger-shark.html 20 pictures of tiger sharks] * [http://www.sharkdiving.us/tigershark.html Tiger shark facts and pictures] * [http://www.sharkinformation.org/sharkprofiles/tiger-shark/ Tiger shark profile and photos] * [http://www.jostimages.com/galerie/sharks/tiger-shark.html Pictures of the tiger shark] [[Category:Carcharhinidae]] [[Category:Ovoviviparous fish]] [[Category:Near Threatened species]] [[ca:Tauró tigre]] [[cs:Žralok tygří]] [[da:Tigerhaj]] [[de:Tigerhai]] [[es:Galeocerdo cuvier]] [[fr:Requin tigre]] [[ko:뱀상어]] [[id:Hiu harimau]] [[it:Galeocerdo cuvier]] [[hu:Tigriscápa]] [[nah:Ocēlōmichin]] [[nl:Tijgerhaai]] [[ja:イタチザメ]] [[no:Tigerhai]] [[pl:Żarłacz tygrysi]] [[pt:Tubarão-tigre]] [[simple:Tiger shark]] [[sk:Žralok tigrí]] [[fi:Tiikerihai]] [[sv:Tigerhaj]] [[vi:Cá nhám hổ]] [[zh:鼬鯊]]