Fragment of Lower Jaw of Galeocerdo cuvier
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Galeocerdo
Species: G. cuvier
Specimen Description
The tiger shark has very powerful jaws with distinct dentition. 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. Upper and lower teeth are similar in shape and size and decrease in measurement as they move back toward the mouth’s corners. The 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.
About the Animal
One of the most dangerous sharks for number of attacks and fatalities attributed to it, tiger sharks can grow longer than 16 feet, and weigh more than 1,400 pounds. It is curious and aggressive in contact with humans, and an indiscriminate omnivore that is known to eat most marine animals, terrestrial animals, and even manmade garbage floating at sea. Despite the size of this slow moving requiem shark, it is a highly successful hunter because of its color pattern and speed bursts.
Reference:
Craig Knickle, https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/discover/species-profiles/galeocerdo-cuvier
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=105799
http://phatfossils.com/extant%20references/Galeocerdo%20cuvier%20(Tiger%20Shark