---
title: "What the sources say about the Tiger Shark | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "54 claims from the Tiger Shark profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the Tiger Shark (*Galeocerdo cuvier*)

> 54 claims from the Tiger Shark profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Tiger Shark](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/tiger-shark/)

## Galeocerdo cuvier (tiger shark). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Galeocerdo_cuvier/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| serrated teeth that can pierce sea turtle shells | Serrated teeth give this species the ability to penetrate the shells of sea turtles. (note: 'pierce' paraphrases 'penetrate') |
| can pierce sea turtle shells | Serrated teeth give this species the ability to penetrate the shells of sea turtles. |
| they can pierce the shells of sea turtles | Serrated teeth give this species the ability to penetrate the shells of sea turtles. |
| A tiger shark most likely relies on stealth rather than strength and speed to catch prey, and its camouflage lets it get within striking range. | This species most likely relies on stealth rather than strength and speed to catch prey. They are well camouflaged, allowing them to get within striking range of prey. (note: current FL page agrees: 'a highly effective ambush predator that deploys short bursts of speed to secure its prey') |
| If prey flees, it may back off instead of chasing at high speed, but it can manage a short burst of speed once prey is within range. | If prey flee, tiger sharks may back off, not taking part in high-speed pursuits. However, tiger sharks are capable of short bursts of speed once their prey are within range. (note: 'instead of chasing at high speed' paraphrases 'not taking part in high-speed pursuits') |
| Sensing organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, on the end of its snout, detect electromagnetic signals given off by fish. | Sensing organs called Ampullae of Lorenzini, located on the end of their nose ... While hunting, tiger sharks uses this ability to detect electromagnetic signals given off by fish. |
| Tiger sharks are solitary except during mating season or while feeding together on a large carcass. | Tiger sharks are a nocturnal predators and are solitary except during the mating seasons or while communally feeding on large carcasses. (note: current FL page agrees: 'sometimes seen in groups, but this is probably driven by food availability rather than social behavior') |
| At those feeds, larger sharks eat first in a loose pecking order, and violence is minimal. | tiger sharks have a loose social hierarchy where larger sharks feed first ... Violence is minimal during these scavenging feasts. |
| Not at full strength. Tiger sharks are born with tiger-like stripes on their back | They are born with tiger-like stripes on their back |
| the stripes fade as they grow older | Juveniles have tiger-like stripes, which fade as they grow older. |

## Galeocerdo cuvier. Florida Museum of Natural History, Discover Fishes.

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/galeocerdo-cuvier/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A shark with a reputation for eating almost anything | the tiger shark has a reputation as an animal that will eat almost anything |
| a habit of hunting at night | Tiger sharks are solitary hunters that feed primarily at night as the shark moves further inshore and closer to the surface. |
| Deadly | second only to the white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias ) in terms of the number of reported attacks on humans ... one of the three species most commonly implicated in shark attacks and fatalities (note: dangerLevel left as the writer set it; the source supports a fatal-attack record) |
| Tropical and temperate seas worldwide except the Mediterranean | The tiger shark is found throughout the world's temperate and tropical waters, with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea. |
| generally preferring murky coastal waters; common in river estuaries and harbors, and found around the lagoons and coral atolls of oceanic islands | generally prefers murky waters in coastal areas. It is commonly found in river estuaries, harbors, and other inlets ... Tiger sharks also occur in shallow areas around large island chains, including the lagoons and coral atolls found on the coasts of oceanic islands |
| Sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fish, sea birds, dolphins, squid, crustaceans and carrion | Preferred prey varies depending upon geographical region but commonly includes sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fishes, sea birds, dolphins, squid, various crustaceans and carrion. |
| plus garbage, often found in sharks caught in harbors | Garbage and refuse is often recovered from the stomachs of sharks caught in harbors and river inlets, where it is commonly dumped into the water. |
| Deeply notched, serrated teeth | The jaws house large teeth with curved cusps and finely serrated edges. Each tooth has a deep notch on the outer margin lined with numerous cusplets. |
| with a saw-like shake of the head, tear chunks from much larger animals | The tiger shark's highly serrated teeth combined with the saw-like action from shaking the head back and forth allows it to tear chunks from much larger marine animals. |
| The tiger shark has a reputation for eating almost anything. | the tiger shark has a reputation as an animal that will eat almost anything |
| One large female caught in the Red Sea held two empty cans, a plastic bottle, two burlap sacks, a squid, and a 20 cm fish. | One large female caught off the north end of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea contained two empty cans, a plastic bottle, two burlap sacks, a squid, and a 20 cm (8 in) fish. |
| Garbage dumped into harbors and river inlets often turns up in the stomachs of sharks caught there. | Garbage and refuse is often recovered from the stomachs of sharks caught in harbors and river inlets, where it is commonly dumped into the water. |
| Its usual prey, which varies by region, includes sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fish, sea birds, dolphins, squid, crustaceans and carrion. | Preferred prey varies depending upon geographical region but commonly includes sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fishes, sea birds, dolphins, squid, various crustaceans and carrion. |
| Tiger sharks commonly reach 3.25 to 4.25 m long and weigh 385 to 635 kg. | the tiger shark commonly reaches a length of 325-425 cm (10-14 ft) and weighs over 385-635 kg (850-1400 lbs). (note: 325-425 cm = 3.25-4.25 m. ADW agrees: 'Adults range from 3.25 to 4.25 m in length ... Adult tiger sharks typically weigh 385 to 635 kg') |
| The largest reach over 5.5 m and are estimated to weigh over 900 kg. | The largest specimens attain lengths of over 5.5 m (18 ft) and are estimated to weigh over 900 kg (2000 lbs). (note: 'top' = attain over) |
| Each tooth has curved cusps, finely serrated edges and a deep notch on the outer margin, and teeth in the upper and lower jaws are similarly shaped. | The jaws house large teeth with curved cusps and finely serrated edges. Each tooth has a deep notch on the outer margin lined with numerous cusplets. Teeth are similarly shaped in both upper and lower jaws |
| Combined with a saw-like shake of the head, those teeth tear chunks from much larger animals | The tiger shark's highly serrated teeth combined with the saw-like action from shaking the head back and forth allows it to tear chunks from much larger marine animals. |
| It feeds mainly at night, moving further inshore and closer to the surface. | Tiger sharks are solitary hunters that feed primarily at night as the shark moves further inshore and closer to the surface. |
| Tiger sharks live in tropical and temperate waters around the world, except the Mediterranean Sea. | The tiger shark is found throughout the world's temperate and tropical waters, with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea. (note: replaces ADW's older 'subtropical and tropical waters' range) |
| They are commonly found in river estuaries, harbors and other inlets, and around the lagoons and coral atolls of oceanic islands. | It is commonly found in river estuaries, harbors, and other inlets ... Tiger sharks also occur in shallow areas around large island chains, including the lagoons and coral atolls found on the coasts of oceanic islands (note: 'commonly' governs the inlets clause only, as in the source) |
| Often seen at the surface, they have been reported at depths of 350 m. | It is often seen at the surface but has been reported at depths of 350 m (1085 ft) |
| They move into temperate waters in warmer months and return to the tropics for winter. | They move into temperate waters from the tropics in warmer months and return to the tropics during the winter. |
| Tiger sharks have a reputation for eating almost anything. | the tiger shark has a reputation as an animal that will eat almost anything |
| One large female caught in the Red Sea held two empty cans, a plastic bottle, two burlap sacks, a squid, and a 20 cm fish | One large female caught off the north end of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea contained two empty cans, a plastic bottle, two burlap sacks, a squid, and a 20 cm (8 in) fish. |
| garbage dumped into harbors and river inlets often turns up in the stomachs of sharks caught there | Garbage and refuse is often recovered from the stomachs of sharks caught in harbors and river inlets, where it is commonly dumped into the water. |
| Their usual prey, which varies by region, includes sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fish, sea birds, dolphins, squid, crustaceans and carrion. | Preferred prey varies depending upon geographical region but commonly includes sea turtles, rays, other sharks, bony fishes, sea birds, dolphins, squid, various crustaceans and carrion. |
| for serrated teeth that saw chunks from much larger animals with a back-and-forth shake of the head | The tiger shark's highly serrated teeth combined with the saw-like action from shaking the head back and forth allows it to tear chunks from much larger marine animals. (note: vibe.reason (#391)) |
| weightKg: 510 | the tiger shark commonly reaches a length of 325-425 cm (10-14 ft) and weighs over 385-635 kg (850-1400 lbs). (note: battleStats; midpoint of the typical range (#391)) |

## Emmons et al. (2021). Age and growth of tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) from Western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research.

https://doi.org/10.1071/mf20291

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Vertebrae from tiger sharks caught off Western Australia were aged up to 31 years old in females and 21 in males. | Vertebrae samples were taken from 124 tiger sharks ... caught in Western Australia (WA) from 1994 to 1998 ... Males (n = 38) were found to have an age range of 3–21 years ... females (n = 60) had an age range of 2–31 years (note: sample ages, not a lifespan; ADW's older 27/50-year wild lifespan is not used) |

## Ferreira & Simpfendorfer (2019). Galeocerdo cuvier. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T39378A2913541.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2019-1.rlts.t39378a2913541.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Near Threatened | IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT). |
| The IUCN lists the tiger shark as Near Threatened. | IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT). |
| Worldwide, the IUCN Red List classifies the tiger shark as Near Threatened. | IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT). |

## Enax et al. (2012). Structure, composition, and mechanical properties of shark teeth. Journal of Structural Biology.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2012.03.012

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Lab tests on tiger shark and shortfin mako teeth found the mineral in them is fluoroapatite | The teeth of two different shark species (Isurus oxyrinchus and Galeocerdo cuvier) ... The inorganic part of shark teeth consisted of fluoroapatite (note: Isurus oxyrinchus is the shortfin mako (Isurus is its genus as the paper spells it); the paper studied only these two species, so the page names both) |
| the hard outer layer is about six times harder than the dentin beneath it | Nanoindentation and Vicker's microhardness tests showed that the enameloid of the shark teeth was approximately six times harder than the dentin (note: enameloid = the hard outer layer) |
| The same study found that each tooth's job, tearing for the mako and cutting for the tiger shark, is set by its shape rather than its chemistry. | the different biological functions of the shark teeth ("tearing" for Isurus and "cutting" for Galeocerdo) are controlled by the different geometry and not by the chemical or crystallographic composition. (note: Isurus oxyrinchus is the shortfin mako (Isurus is its genus as the paper spells it); the paper studied only these two species, so the page names both) |
| But the job each tooth does, tearing for the mako and cutting for the tiger shark, is set by its shape | the different biological functions of the shark teeth ("tearing" for Isurus and "cutting" for Galeocerdo) are controlled by the different geometry and not by the chemical or crystallographic composition. (note: answer lead; the FAQ's own study says geometry sets the cutting function) |
| Lab tests on tiger shark and shortfin mako teeth found the hard outer layer is about six times harder than the dentin beneath it | The teeth of two different shark species (Isurus oxyrinchus and Galeocerdo cuvier) ... the enameloid of the shark teeth was approximately six times harder than the dentin (note: Isurus oxyrinchus is the shortfin mako (Isurus is its genus as the paper spells it); the paper studied only these two species, so the page names both) |

## Meyer et al. (2014). Growth and Maximum Size of Tiger Sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) in Hawaii. PLoS ONE.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084799

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In a Hawaii tagging program, sharks over 450 cm long were very rare: just 2 of 420 captured. | individuals larger than 450 cm TL (∼347 cm PCL) were very rare, accounting for only 2 of 420 (0.005%) sharks captured (note: the 420 are the program's tagged sharks: 'to date 420 tiger sharks have been tagged and 50 recaptured') |

## Roff et al. (2018). Decline of coastal apex shark populations over the past half century. Communications Biology.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0233-1

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Queensland, Australia, has run shark-control nets and baited drumlines since 1962, and the program grew to span 1,760 km of coast. | The QSCP has been operating since 1962 using a system of mesh nets and baited drumlines ... The programme started in Cairns in 1962, and has since expanded to 11 regions in Queensland, spanning tropical and sub-tropical coastal ecosystems across 1760 km of the eastern Australian coastline (note: 'off its beaches': 'employs a series of baited drumlines and mesh nets adjacent to coastal beaches'; 'grew to span' = 'has since expanded to ... spanning', past tense because the paper dates from 2018) |
| Tiger shark catch rates there were relatively stable until the early 1990s, then fell 74% over the next 25 years. | catch rates of tiger sharks were relatively stable between the early 1960s and early 1990s, prior to a 74% decline in CPUE over the past 25 years |
| In Queensland, Australia, yes. | catch rates of tiger sharks were relatively stable between the early 1960s and early 1990s, prior to a 74% decline in CPUE over the past 25 years |
| Catch rates of tiger sharks in the state's shark-control nets and drumlines stayed relatively stable from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, then dropped 74% over the following 25 years. | catch rates of tiger sharks were relatively stable between the early 1960s and early 1990s, prior to a 74% decline in CPUE over the past 25 years ... Coinciding with ongoing declines in numbers of tiger sharks in nets and drumlines |

## Yopak, Lisney & Collin (2014). Not all sharks are "swimming noses": variation in olfactory bulb size in cartilaginous fishes. Brain Structure and Function.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0705-0

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A study of 58 species of sharks, rays and their relatives measured the olfactory bulbs, the part of the brain that receives signals from the smell nerve. | examining interspecific variation in the size of the olfactory bulbs (OB), the region of the brain that receives the primary sensory projections from the olfactory nerve, in 58 species of cartilaginous fishes. (note: cartilaginous fishes = sharks, rays and their relatives (chimaeras)) |
| Relative to the rest of the brain, the largest bulbs belonged to open-water sharks, especially migratory species such as the great white and the tiger shark. | the OBs maintain a substantial level of allometric independence from the rest of the brain ... The relatively largest OBs were found in pelagic-coastal/oceanic sharks, especially migratory species such as Carcharodon carcharias and Galeocerdo cuvier. (note: open-water = pelagic-coastal/oceanic; Carcharodon carcharias = great white) |