The Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, is known for its broad, opportunistic diet, which has earned it a reputation as the “garbage disposal of the sea.” The species’ success as a hunter is directly linked to its specialized dental equipment, which is constantly maintained. A single tiger shark has a total of 48 to 52 teeth actively exposed in its jaws at any one time, divided equally between the upper and lower arches. This count represents the functional, outermost row of teeth ready to engage with prey.
The Specific Tooth Count and Arrangement
While the count of 48 to 52 teeth represents the active cutting surface, these functional teeth are not a fixed set but are the leading edge of a complex, multi-layered arrangement. Behind the active row, a tiger shark’s jaw holds multiple parallel rows of replacement teeth waiting to move into position.
The number of these tooth files can range from 10 to 12 on each side of the jaw, meaning the total potential tooth count housed within the jaw cartilage is in the hundreds. This organization ensures that as one tooth is lost or worn down, another is immediately ready to rotate forward. The arrangement is similar across the entire jaw, with the teeth in both the upper and lower arches being identical in shape and function.
Design for Indiscriminate Predation
The Tiger Shark tooth is adapted for its broad feeding habits. Each tooth features a distinctive, broad, and heavily serrated cockscomb shape, which is unlike the narrow, pointed teeth of many other shark species. This design allows the tooth to act as an all-purpose tool for both gripping and sawing through a wide range of materials. The teeth are set perpendicular to the jawline, maximizing the surface area available for cutting and shearing.
The highly serrated edges are capable of slicing through soft tissue and the tough hides of marine mammals. A distinctive notch on the side of the tooth, combined with the deep serrations, enables the shark to puncture and break down hard materials. This allows the tiger shark to easily consume prey with shells, such as sea turtles, by tearing through their bony carapaces. The identical shape of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws permits the shark to use a powerful, shearing bite, from fish and seabirds to carrion.
The Continuous Tooth Replacement Mechanism
The ability of the tiger shark to maintain functional teeth throughout its life is due to a biological phenomenon known as polyphyodonty. This mechanism functions like a natural conveyor belt, where teeth continuously develop and replace themselves from the back of the jaw to the front. New teeth form in the connective tissue on the inner side of the jaw and are organized in rows that slowly track forward.
As an active tooth is damaged or falls out, the next tooth in the row rotates up and forward to take its place. The continuous turnover ensures that the animal is never left with a dull or broken set of tools, which is a significant advantage for a predator that relies on a sharp edge to subdue and process a diverse range of prey. Due to this lifelong regeneration, a single tiger shark may shed hundreds of teeth annually.