Fish
Introduction
Most fish spend their entire lives in the water. All fish have two important characteristics that make them unique. They all have gills that enable them to breathe by absorbing oxygen from the water, and they all have paired fins for swimming. Without paired fins, fish would be swimming in circles! Fish are also grouped into one of three classes, jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, and bony fish. Jawless fish included species such as hagfish and lampreys. Cartilaginous fish included species like sharks and stingrays, whose skeletons' are made up of entirely cartilage. Bony fish have skeletons made up of bones. These include trout, tuna, perch, and many more.
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
The tiger shark, such as the one shown above, is named for its tiger-like stripes that are mostly found on juveniles. These fierce, blunt-nosed predators have earned their reputation as man-eating sharks. They are also known as one of the most dangerous and aggressive sharks as well being the fourth largest known shark in the world measuring in at about 10-14 feet. The great white sharks are the only species to top the tiger shark in attacking humans. Tiger sharks are carnivores and they have an outstanding sense of smell and hearing.
Reproduction
The average gestation period lasts about 15 to 16 months. These sharks have an extremely low re-population rate and are considered to be near threatened in their range. Females give birth to live young, and they can give birth to 10-80 pups at a time. As soon as pups are born, they are on their own without their mother.
Habitat/Location
Tiger sharks are most commonly found in warm, tropical and sub-tropical waters. Many have been spotted in the Atlantic and around the islands of Hawaii. They tend to spend time near the surface of the water and that is how they are so easily spotted. These sharks are solitary creatures and require wide open space since they are so large.
Eating Habits
Tiger sharks are known to eat a variety of different things. In fact, they have earned the nickname "wastebasket of the sea" because they have been known to swallow anything they find, even garbage like old tires and licence plates. Tiger sharks eat animals such as sea turtles, clams, stingrays, sea snakes, seals, birds, other fish, and squids. They use sharp, very serrated teeth and powerful jaws to crush hard shells of turtles and clams and eat its food.
Tiger sharks catch their food by stealth. They are very well camouflaged against dark backgrounds, and they swim slowly, which makes them difficult for prey to detect them. Tiger sharks may seem a tad bit sluggish, but, in fact, they are one of the most powerful swimmers. Once the shark has come close enough to their prey, they burst with great power and speed to catch the prey before it escapes.
Most fish spend their entire lives in the water. All fish have two important characteristics that make them unique. They all have gills that enable them to breathe by absorbing oxygen from the water, and they all have paired fins for swimming. Without paired fins, fish would be swimming in circles! Fish are also grouped into one of three classes, jawless fish, cartilaginous fish, and bony fish. Jawless fish included species such as hagfish and lampreys. Cartilaginous fish included species like sharks and stingrays, whose skeletons' are made up of entirely cartilage. Bony fish have skeletons made up of bones. These include trout, tuna, perch, and many more.
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
The tiger shark, such as the one shown above, is named for its tiger-like stripes that are mostly found on juveniles. These fierce, blunt-nosed predators have earned their reputation as man-eating sharks. They are also known as one of the most dangerous and aggressive sharks as well being the fourth largest known shark in the world measuring in at about 10-14 feet. The great white sharks are the only species to top the tiger shark in attacking humans. Tiger sharks are carnivores and they have an outstanding sense of smell and hearing.
Reproduction
The average gestation period lasts about 15 to 16 months. These sharks have an extremely low re-population rate and are considered to be near threatened in their range. Females give birth to live young, and they can give birth to 10-80 pups at a time. As soon as pups are born, they are on their own without their mother.
Habitat/Location
Tiger sharks are most commonly found in warm, tropical and sub-tropical waters. Many have been spotted in the Atlantic and around the islands of Hawaii. They tend to spend time near the surface of the water and that is how they are so easily spotted. These sharks are solitary creatures and require wide open space since they are so large.
Eating Habits
Tiger sharks are known to eat a variety of different things. In fact, they have earned the nickname "wastebasket of the sea" because they have been known to swallow anything they find, even garbage like old tires and licence plates. Tiger sharks eat animals such as sea turtles, clams, stingrays, sea snakes, seals, birds, other fish, and squids. They use sharp, very serrated teeth and powerful jaws to crush hard shells of turtles and clams and eat its food.
Tiger sharks catch their food by stealth. They are very well camouflaged against dark backgrounds, and they swim slowly, which makes them difficult for prey to detect them. Tiger sharks may seem a tad bit sluggish, but, in fact, they are one of the most powerful swimmers. Once the shark has come close enough to their prey, they burst with great power and speed to catch the prey before it escapes.
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