General Information

The Sumatran tiger, also known as Panthera tigris sumatrae, and known to some scientists as Panthera tigris sondaica, is a critically endangered species. This tiger subspecies dwells on the Indonesian island, Sumatra. As of 2008, the IUCN placed the Sumatran tiger on its critically endangered species list. The Sumatran tiger is currently the only living tigers on the Sunda Islands. The Cat Classification Force determined in 2017 that the Sumatran tiger is now apart of the P. t. sondaica subspecies, as opposed to the Panthera tigris sumatrae subspecies.

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest tiger of any tiger subspecies. It is a fascinating species partially because it is such a rare species to witness. These tiger species have distinctive stripes over their coat, which are thinner than other tigers, which enables them to camouflage through tall grasses prevalent on Sumatra. They have longer fur on their faces giving them a unique maned image.

The Sumatran tiger, with its distinctive mane and stripes, hunting.

Sumatran Tigers’ Taxonomical Classification:

Domain: Eukarya – Organisms with eukaryotic cells.

Kingdom: Animalia –  Multicellular, heterotrophic, sexually reproducing, eukaryotic organisms.

Phylum: Chordata – Animals containing a notochord, a hollow dorsal nerve chord, pharyngeal slits (embryonic gill slits), an endostyle (mucous producing gland in the pharynx), and a post-anal tail during fetal development and/or throughout their life cycle.

Subphylum: Vertebrata – Chordates with segmented backbones encasing the hollow dorsal nerve chord.

Class: Mammalia:  – Vertebrates who are different from reptiles, (including birds), because of a neocortex(region of the brain), hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands. 

Order: Carnivora – Any member of a group of 12 different carnivorous “families”, containing 9 land based-organisms and 3 aquatic organisms, who eat other organisms.

Suborder: Feliformia – A suborder of  the Carnivora order, this suborder is comprised of “cat like” carnivores such as, “cats, hyenas, mongooses, etc.”

Family:  Felidae – Species belonging to this family are commonly referred to simply as cats, or as felids. These species survival is contingent on nutrients obtained from eating other species. These species eat so much meat they are sometimes called, “hypercarnivores.” They have skinny, yet well built bodies, “retractable claws for holding prey,” and have stripes which facilitate camoflague.

Genus: Panthera – Species such as the lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard, with similar “cranial features.”

Species: Tigris – The tiger, or Panthera tigris, is the largest of cat species.

Subspecies: sumatrae – An extinct group of tigers from the Indonesian island of Sumatra 

Scientific Name: Panthera tigris sumatrae

The Panthera tigris’s distinctive features.

 

Check out this cool Youtube video on Sumatran tigers above!