The tiger shark gets its name from the black spots and stripes which run the length of the body, like a tiger. The front of the body is quite sturdy, but becomes more slim at the back. It has a large, strong head with big eyes and a very blunt snout. The first dorsal fin is quite wide, and is located at the back of the pectoral fins. The much smaller second dorsal fin is located at the front of the anal fin which is strongly recurved. There is a ridge along the back between the dorsal fins.