The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a species of requiem shark belonging to the family Carcharhinidae. Here is the breakdown of its taxonomic classification:
1. Kingdom: Animalia - The tiger shark belongs to the animal kingdom, which includes all multicellular organisms that are eukaryotic and heterotrophic.
2. Phylum: Chordata - It falls under the phylum Chordata, which includes all animals possessing a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, and pharyngeal slits at some point in their life cycle.
3. Class: Chondrichthyes - The tiger shark is part of the class Chondrichthyes, commonly known as cartilaginous fish. This class includes animals with skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone, such as sharks, rays, and skates.
4. Order: Carcharhiniformes - It belongs to the order Carcharhiniformes, which comprises ground sharks, including many of the familiar shark species.
5. Family: Carcharhinidae - The tiger shark is a member of the family Carcharhinidae, also known as requiem sharks or whaler sharks. This family includes numerous shark species found in oceans around the world.
6. Genus: Galeocerdo - The tiger shark is the only species within its genus, Galeocerdo. The genus name Galeocerdo is derived from two Greek words meaning "shark" and "sharp tooth," reflecting the shark's characteristic teeth.
7. Species: Galeocerdo cuvier - The tiger shark's species name is Galeocerdo cuvier. It is named after Georges Cuvier, a renowned French naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of anatomy and paleontology.
Overall, the tiger shark's taxonomy is as follows:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Galeocerdo
Species: Galeocerdo cuvier
tiger shark species taxonomy explained
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