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There were 8 tiger subspecies taxonomically classified in history. As recent studies have shown that the Indochinese tiger may actually be 2 subspecies of tiger (Malayan and Indochinese), and the Amur and Caspian may be one (with only one nucleotide of difference), the number remains 8 tiger subspecies - albeit differently classified - with the Sumatran tiger genetically distinct from all mainland species (and possibly warranting species status). 3 subspecies are regarded as recently extinct (Balinese, Javan, and Caspian, though the latter may be revised due to reclassification).

There are 6 sub-tiger species still alive today:
Amur tiger
Bengal tiger
Indochinese tiger
Sumatran tiger
Southchina tiger
Malayan tiger

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