Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata)

Scientific name: Pristis clavata Garman, 1906

Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata)

The Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata) is a brackish-water fish of the family Pristidae.

Biology

Greenish brown, rarely yellowish; white ventrally; fins paler. Body shark-like, pectoral fins distinct; head flattened, with a blade-like snout bearing 18-22 pairs of lateral teeth; blade broad, not tapering distally. Nostrils broad with large nasal flaps. Rostral teeth slender, with a groove along posterior margins; teeth reaching basal quarter of blade. Skin with denticles.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Pristis clavata
Family
Pristidae (Sawfishes)
Order
Pristiformes (Sawfishes)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
140
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - ? m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: tropical Australia, possibly more widely distributed. A nominal record from the Canary Islands may not be this species, but the sketchily known Pristis pristis from the eastern Atlantic is similar and needs comparison to determine if the two species are distinct.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bcd+3cd+4bcd)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated