Species learning profile
Zebra shark
Stegostoma tigrinum
Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum) is a saltwater fish associated with reef habitat in Indo-Pacific. Striped juveniles transform into spotted adults with long tails.
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At a glance
- Água
- Água salgada
- Habitat
- Recife
- Comprimento máximo
- 354 cm
- Distribuição
- Indo-Pacífico
- Família
- Stegostomatidae
- Ordem
- Orectolobiformes
Observe
How to identify Zebra shark
- Striped juveniles transform into spotted adults with long tails.
- Guide context: reef habitat in Indo-Pacific.
- Reported maximum length: 354 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with reef habitat across Indo-Pacific. Reef crevices provide shelter while current, coral, algae, and neighboring animals supply food.
Behavior
Rests on sand by day and hunts at night
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish.
Ecological role
A bottom predator around coral reefs.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Zebra shark pode chegar a cerca de 354 cm e costuma viver perto de Recife.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Reef fish are affected by coral loss, warming, destructive fishing, pollution, and the removal of key grazers or predators.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Zebra shark in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections