Smalltooth sawfish
Encyclopedia
The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), also known as the wide sawfish, is a sawfish
of the family
Pristidae, found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters in coastal parts of the Atlantic, including the Mediterranean. Reports from elsewhere are now believed to be misidentifications of other species of sawfish. This critically endangered
species reaches a length of up to 7.6 metres (24.9 ft).
because of their propensity for entanglement in nets, their restricted habitat, and low rate of population growth. The species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. The United States population was listed by the National Marine Fisheries Service
as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2003. The species is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Sawfish
Sawfish, also known as the Carpenter Shark, are a family of rays, characterized by a long, toothy nose extension snout. Several species can grow to approximately . The family as a whole is largely unknown and little studied...
of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Pristidae, found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters in coastal parts of the Atlantic, including the Mediterranean. Reports from elsewhere are now believed to be misidentifications of other species of sawfish. This critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
species reaches a length of up to 7.6 metres (24.9 ft).
Life history
The smalltooth sawfish is ovoviviparous, meaning the mother holds the eggs inside of her until the young are ready to be born, usually in litters of 15 to 20 pups. It inhabits shallow coastal waters of tropical seas and estuaries where it are found over muddy and sandy bottoms. As its relatives, it also enters rivers.Conservation status
Smalltooth sawfish are extremely vulnerable to overexploitationOverexploitation
Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Sustained overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource...
because of their propensity for entanglement in nets, their restricted habitat, and low rate of population growth. The species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. The United States population was listed by the National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
The National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2003. The species is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.