The
tiger shark (
Galeocerdo cuvier ) is a species of
requiem shark and the only extant member of the
genus Galeocerdo. Commonly known as the "Sea Tiger", the tiger shark is a relatively large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over . It is found in many
tropical and
temperate waters, and it is especially common around central
Pacific islands. Its name derives from the dark stripes down its body which resemble a
tiger's pattern, which fade as the shark matures.