|
TIGER SHARK FACTS |
Description
The Tiger Shark is a large shark with a broad, blunt rounded snout. The mouth has large, serrated cocks-comb-shaped teeth. The body is grey above with vertical dark grey to black bars and spots which fade in adults. The underside is white. Small juveniles are grey with dark reticulations, which change to vertical bars as the fish matures.
Size
length to 750 cm, weight to 800kg
Habitat
found from near surface to depths of 140 m. Occurs on near continental and island shelves, river estuaries, harbors, coral atolls and lagoons. Makes excursions into open ocean, but is not a truly oceanic species.
Food
Nocturnal feeder. Feeds on other sharks, rays, fish, marine mammals, turtles, seabirds, sea snakes, squids, gastropods, crustaceans, carrion and garbage.
Breeding
Ovoviviparous. Up to 80 young of 51 to 104 cm are born per litter
Range
The Tiger Shark is found worldwide in tropical and some subtropical waters. In Australia the Tiger Shark is found from south-western Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, and south to the southern coast of New South Wales.
Notes
A dangerous shark with numerous recorded attacks on humans.
Classification
| Class: | Chondrichthyes | | Order: | Carcharhiniformes | | Family: | Carcharhinidae | | Genus: | Galeocerdo | | Species: | cuvier | | Common Name: | Tiger Shark |
|
|
