Sharks are the apex predators of the world under the water and are known for their speed and strength. One of the distinctive features of these species is their powerful teeth that provide them with a strong bite force. The teeth and bite force vary among different species of sharks. Whenever you think about the image of aggressive sharks showing their powerful and razor-sharp teeth, the first ones that come into your mind are the Great White Shark, Bull Shark, and Tiger Shark.
The Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) prefers the warm oceans worldwide and is the largest known member of the requiem shark family. The Tiger Shark gets its name from its appearance; the presence of the vertical stripes that cover its gray body and these stripes fade away with age. The Tiger Shark or leopard shark is the fourth largest shark species in the world with an average measured length of 18 feet and a weight of 2000 pounds.
The Tiger Sharks are famous for eating anything they find or can capture. They are ranked second in the list of largest predatory sharks behind the Great White Shark. These voracious predators feed on other sharks, fish, seabirds, dolphins, and rays. Few species of Tiger Sharks have been observed consuming plastic, metal, or wood. These aggressive predators have so powerful teeth that they can bite the flesh of sea turtles with ease. The Tiger Sharks are one of the three shark species known to attack humans, others are Great White sharks and Bull sharks. In Hawaii, the majority of shark attacks are done by Tiger sharks.
Quick Outline
- How Many Teeth Do Tiger Sharks Have?
- What Type of Tooth Do Tiger Sharks Have?
- How Big a Tiger Shark Tooth Is?
- How Often Do Tiger Sharks Shed Their Teeth?
- How Strong Do Tiger Sharks Bite?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
How Many Teeth Does a Tiger Shark Have?
Most shark species have teeth in the upper jaw designed to pierce the flesh and the lower jaw to attack the grip of the prey. However, Tiger Sharks have 48 identical teeth arranged in 2 rows in both upper and lower jaws. The Tiger Sharks have the largest mouth compared to the other Carcharhinidae family. Unlike other shark species, they have square-shaped jaws rather than circular ones. These powerful jaws match their wide snout and a large mouth. They use this impressive combination of powerful jaws and razor-sharp teeth to attack and cut the larger prey with ease.
What Type of Teeth Do Tiger Sharks Have?
The Tiger Sharks are known for their distinctive appearance of teeth often referred to as carnassial teeth. These teeth are similar to other meat-eating mammals such as wolves. The short, triangular, and serrated teeth of the Tiger Sharks are located in the upper and lower jaws. The serrated edges of their teeth are designed to slice through the hard shells of sea turtles or the bone flesh of other marine animals.
How Big a Tiger Shark Tooth Is?
The short yet notched teeth are the defining feature of the Tiger Sharks. Normally, the teeth of sharks can grow up to 1 to 5 cm and Tiger Sharks are no exception. The average length of the teeth of Tiger Shark is one inch. However, the maximum recorded length of a Tiger Shark tooth is up to 2 inches.
How Often Do Tiger Sharks Shed Their Teeth?
Sharks, unlike humans and mammals, continuously regrow their teeth. These species lose their teeth while attacking the prey as their teeth are not embedded in the gums on roots like ours. However, it will not matter for their survival in the long term as they have a constant supply of teeth throughout their lifetime. On average, the Tiger Sharks lose at least one tooth in a week. They shed approximately 30,000 teeth in their entire life. Sharks have several rows of teeth when they lose one tooth, the tooth from the previous row comes forward to replace the front one and the new teeth grow within 24 hours or a month.
How Strong Do Tiger Sharks Bite?
Just like the number and type of teeth, the bite force is also important and varies for different shark species depending on their feeding habitat. Tiger Sharks are ranked among one of the five shark species with the strongest bites. Although they have small serrated teeth, their bite force is enough to easily tear apart the large animals. They have a strong bite force of 325 Per square inch (Psi). The other four shark species with the strongest bite force are mentioned in the below table:
| Shark Species | Number of Teeth | Bite Force |
|---|---|---|
| Great White Shark | 300 | 4000 Psi |
| Shortfin Mako | 350 | 3000 Psi |
| Bull Shark | 350 | 1300 Psi |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | 300 | 539 Psi |
FAQs
1: What is Unique About the Tooth of Tiger Shark?
The teeth of the Tiger Shark have a unique appearance as are small, broad, double serrated which allows them to cut through the tough shells of sea turtles with ease.
2: Are Tiger Sharks Aggressive?
Tiger Sharks are one of the most aggressive known shark species and are the second shark species with the most number of shark attacks on humans with 111 reported shark attacks out of which 31 were fatal.
3: What are Some Interesting Facts About the Tiger Sharks?
The interesting facts about the Tiger Sharks are:
- They can weigh over 17000 pounds.
- The Tiger sharks can have up to 8 babies at once.
- They are expert gardeners as they scare away the gazers who eat seagrass.
Conclusion
Sharks have a unique set of powerful teeth that make them different from other marine species. Each shark species has a different number of teeth, type, and bite force. The different kinds of teeth allow the sharks to feed on diverse prey, providing them an advantage over the other predators of the oceans.
The Tiger Sharks have 48 razor-sharp, double-serrated teeth aligned in their upper and lower jaws. The teeth of Tiger Sharks can usually grow up to 1 inch. They are ranked among the five shark species with the strongest bite force of 325 Psi. Their wide mouth, powerful jaws, and small serrated teeth are enough to tear apart the large or hard-shelled prey with ease.
