Details
Pristis pristis
The largetooth sawfish is a huge ray that uses both coastal and freshwater habitats. Its saw-like rostrum detects and strikes prey near the bottom.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occurs in coasts, estuaries, mangroves, and freshwaters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific regions. Young use shallow, often turbid nursery areas.
Length is about 300-650 cm and weight about 200-600 kg. A flattened body and long rostrum edged with tooth-like projections make it unmistakable.
It swims slowly near the bottom, sensing prey in sand or mud with the rostrum. It is mostly solitary, though feeding areas can overlap loosely.
It is carnivorous, eating fish and crustaceans. The saw can slash at small fish and probe the bottom for hidden prey.
It is live-bearing, with young developing inside the mother before birth. Juveniles grow in shallow coastal and estuarine waters before ranging more widely.
Its status is listed as Critically Endangered. The rostrum tangles easily in fishing gear, while habitat change and bycatch remain major threats.
