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Tiger Shark

Page history last edited by Michael R 10 years, 10 months ago

Tiger Shark

Michael Robb

DESCRIPTION

The Tiger Shark is a species of the requiem sharks, and the only member of the genus Galeocerdo. Although the Tiger Shark shares its name with the sand Tiger Shark they are highly different. It's name comes from the brown stripes along the sides of the Tiger Shark like the stripes of a real Tiger. It also has a white-yellow underbelly. It is common around the Pacific islands and other tropical regions. The Tiger Shark is one on the largest sharks, around 3-4.2 meters and 850-1400 lb. It has a life span of about 50 years. Because of the size and viciousness of the Tiger Shark it is an apex predator meaning it has no predators. The viciousness of the shark is proven by studies of scientists that show that the Tiger Shark will eat almost anything placed before it. Examples of what it eats would be: Green Sea Turtle, Lobster, Sea Snake and Manta Ray.

HABITAT

As mentioned the Tiger Shark lives around the Pacific islands and other tropical regions. To the east-north-east (ENE) of Australia there's a large population of Tiger Sharks. Beside that one population of Tiger Sharks the rest live along the shores of Central America, South America, Africa, South Asia, with a concentration around Japan, and North Australia. They tend to be closer to the top of the ocean than the bottom. They have no permanent home and swim freely like the Great White Shark.

PREDATOR ADAPTATIONS

The Tiger Shark, being an apex predator uses majestic ways to capture its prey. As seen below the Tiger Shark has many fins to swim with and when used all at once the Tiger Shark can reach amazing speed (20 kph), to catch its prey. Shark's teeth are highly regarded in sea side towns, as they make great necklaces for tourists. They are highly regarded because sharks have around 50 sharp teeth that can be used to cut and ripe through their prey's flesh. Without their acute sense of smell, it would be almost impossible for them to hunt their prey. Sharks can smell blood in the ocean from up to 400 meters away. The diet of a Tiger Shark varies from Green Sea Turtle to Dugong.

PREY ADAPTATION

The viciousness of the Tiger Shark keeps curious animals like Orcas or Killer Whale that think a Tiger Shark would be an easy prey. Because the Tiger Shark doesn't have other predators, it doesn't need to have any other prey adaptations.

SYMBIOTIC INTERACTIONS

Commensalism is a type of symbiotic interaction where only one of the species benefits from their interactions. For example, the Pilot fish benefits from cleaning the teeth of the Tiger Shark and gets a free meal from the teeth and protection from the Tiger Shark. Because this is a commensalism interaction and only one species benefits, the Tiger Shark doesn't benefit from its interaction with the Pilot fish.

SPECIES COMPARISON: Hammerhead Shark

Similarities

They are both fish and have the same Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Subclass, Order, and Family. The Tiger Shark and the Hammerhead Shark are both carnivores and apex predators.They both have approximately the same habitat, close to shores and area.

Differences

Hammerhead Sharks travel in groups called shivers, Tiger Shark hunt solo. The Hammerhead Shark head ressemble a hammer with eye at both ends. Hammerhead Shark stay lower to the bottom of the ocean then Tiger sharks. There are over eight species of Hammerhead Sharks. Hammerhead Sharks are know to eat their young or same species.

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RESOURCES

1. Tiger Shark. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web.25 May 2013.T

http://quest.eb.com/images/139_1955278

2.Tiger Shark. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 2 Jun 2013.

http://quest.eb.com/images/139_1988674

3.Great Hammerhead Shark. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 2 Jun 2013.

http://quest.eb.com/images/106_930893

4. Wikipedia. Tiger Shark. May 23 2013. Wikipedia. May 23 2013.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_shark

5. National Geographic. Tiger Shark. National Geographic. May 25 2013.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/tiger-shark/