Genus and species groupĬommon names (most frequently used listed first) As a consequence, recent authorities treat P. perotteti do not differ in morphology or genetics. Three poorly defined species were formerly recognized in the largetooth group, but in 2013 it was shown that P. Three species are in the smalltooth group, and there is only a single in the largetooth group. Today Pristis contains four living, valid species divided into two species groups. Īnoxypristis contains a single living species that historically was included in Pristis, but the two genera are morphologically and genetically highly distinct. Only in 2013 was it firmly established that there are five living species in two genera. The species level taxonomy in the sawfish family has historically caused considerable confusion and was often described as chaotic. Sawfish quite resemble guitarfish, except that the latter group lacks a saw, and their common ancestor likely was similar to guitarfish. The sawfish family has traditionally been considered the sole living member of the order Pristiformes, but recent authorities have generally subsumed it into Rhinopristiformes, an order that now includes the sawfish family, as well as families containing guitarfish, wedgefish, banjo rays and the like. ĭespite their appearance, sawfish are rays (superorder Batoidea). The scientific names of the sawfish family Pristidae and its type genus Pristis are derived from the Ancient Greek: πρίστης, romanized: prístēs, lit.'saw, sawyer'. They are protected in Australia, the United States and several other countries, meaning that sawfish caught by accident have to be released and violations can be punished with hefty fines. Sawfish have been listed by CITES since 2007, restricting international trade in them and their parts. They are hunted for their fins ( shark fin soup), use of parts as traditional medicine, their teeth and saw. The five species are rated as Endangered or Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Once common, sawfish have experienced a drastic decline in recent decades, and the only remaining strongholds are in Northern Australia and Florida, United States. Sawfish have been known and hunted for thousands of years, and play an important mythological and spiritual role in many societies around the world. They are generally harmless to humans, but can inflict serious injuries with the saw when captured and defending themselves. They feed on fish and invertebrates that are detected and captured with the use of their saw. Sawfishes are relatively slow breeders and the females give birth to live young. They should not be confused with sawsharks (order Pristiophoriformes) or the extinct sclerorhynchoids (order Rajiformes) which have a similar appearance, or swordfish (family Xiphiidae) which have a similar name but a very different appearance. They are found worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions in coastal marine and brackish estuarine waters, as well as freshwater rivers and lakes. They are among the largest fish with some species reaching lengths of about 7–7.6 m (23–25 ft). Sawfish, also known as carpenter sharks, are a family of rays characterized by a long, narrow, flattened rostrum, or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged in a way that resembles a saw. Largetooth sawfish, Pristis pristis (above),
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