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Green sawfish image credit: Wikimedia Commons / Flavia Brandi (CC BY-SA 2.0) |
It is not hard to tell where the sawfish gets its name—the long snout (‘rostrum’) covered with tooth-like ‘denticles’ is one of its most distinctive features. And it is not only for show; it is a dangerous weapon, both to other fish and to fishermen who can be injured by a sawfish as it tries to resist being caught! In the same family as rays, there are approximately five living species of sawfish, all listed as endangered. They have been subject to overfishing, as their rostrums are both in demand as curios and used in traditional medicine. Their fins are also considered a delicacy. In addition, their habitat has been severely reduced (juveniles spend most of their time in shallow water bays and estuaries) and they are often accidentally caught, as their toothy snouts easily snag in fishing nets.To read the rest, click on "The weird, wonderfully-designed sawfish".
Sawfish can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The dwarf sawfish, Pristis clavata, only reaches about 1.5 m (5 feet) in length. The others are much larger, often reaching 7 m (23 feet).
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