Smalltooth, or common, sawfish
The smalltooth, or common, sawfish is a remarkable cartilaginous fish closely related to sharks, known for its distinctive saw-like snout, or rostrum, which can reach lengths of up to six feet. This unique feature, lined with sharp teeth, serves both as a tool for foraging, enabling the fish to hunt mollusks and crustaceans, and as a means of defense. Typically found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, smalltooth sawfish inhabit coastal bays, estuaries, and occasionally venture into freshwater environments.
Adults can grow to lengths of 18 to 20 feet and weigh over 700 pounds, displaying a gray or blackish-brown coloration on their backs that contrasts with a lighter underside. They are ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young in freshwater, with females potentially having up to 20 offspring at a time. Despite their size, smalltooth sawfish are not known to pose a significant threat to humans, though caution is advised due to their defensive capabilities. This species is currently classified as Critically Endangered, primarily due to overfishing and habitat loss, making their conservation a priority. With a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, the survival of smalltooth sawfish is closely linked to sustainable fishing practices and habitat protection.
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Smalltooth, or common, sawfish
The smalltooth sawfish looks like a shark with a long, flat, hard snout, along which are up to 30 pairs of sharp teeth. This toothed snout, called a rostrum, looks like the blade of a saw. The fish uses its saw to defend itself and to stun or kill its prey.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Rhinopristiformes
Family: Pristidae
Genus: Pristis
Species: Pectinata
The smalltooth, or common, sawfish is a cartilaginous fish and is in the same order as sharks. None of these fish has bones in their bodies but have cartilage instead. Cartilage is the flexible tissue in people's ears and noses.
The sawfish inhabits shallow tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Atlantic Ocean which are usually 30 feet (nine meters) deep or less. In general, it swims in coastal, saltwater bays and estuaries but may also enter some freshwater rivers and lakes.
With its long, slender body, this unusual fish resembles a shark. It has a pair each of large pectoral (behind the head), pelvic (mid-body), and dorsal (back) fins, as well as a fan-like caudal (tail) fin which is pointed on the bottom and rounded at the top. Its body is not as flattened as those of the rays and skates, which are also members in this order of fish. Unlike the skates and rays, the smalltooth sawfish's pectoral fins are not attached as far forward on their heads as they are on the skates and rays. Gray or blackish-brown skin covers the back and sides of the fish, while its underside is white, grayish white, or pale yellow.
The distinct feature of the sawfish is its saw-like snout, for which it receives its name. Extending from the upper jaw of the fish is a flat, hard snout called a rostrum and which is made of cartilage. Along both sides of the rostrum are up to 30 sharp teeth which point outward to the sides. The rostrum may be up to one foot (30 centimeters) wide and six feet (two meters) long. It may be nearly 1/4 to 1/3 of the sawfish's total length. Adult sawfish may grow to be around 18 to 20 feet (5 1/2 to 6 meters) long and may weigh 700 pounds (315 kilograms) or more.
The smalltooth sawfish lives along the bottom and forages for food in the mud. In the mud it digs with its rostrum for mollusks, crustaceans, sea urchins, and shellfish. It also may swim into a school of fish and slash its rostrum back and forth to stun or kill its prey. Occasionally, it may even attack and wound a fish larger than itself. The rostrum is also a weapon with which the sawfish defends itself. Although it is not known to attack people, the sawfish must be approached and handled carefully since it can injure a human being also.
Female smalltooth sawfish are ovoviviparous. This means that they hold their eggs within their bodies, where they develop and then hatch inside the womb. Each female then gives birth in freshwater and may have up to 20 young, each of which may be about two feet (60 centimeters) long at birth. Their saws are encased in covers to protect the mother and are soft when they are first born but then quickly harden and lose their covers.
The smalltooth sawfish is listed as Critically Endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species due to overfishing and fishing pressures driven by commercial fisheries.
The lifespan of this species is 25 to 30 years.
Bibliography
Charvet, Patricia, et al. “Smalltooth Sawfish.” IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 9 Mar. 2022, www.iucnredlist.org/species/18175/58298676. Accessed 1 May 2024.
“Smalltooth Sawfish.” Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission, myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/saltwater/smalltooth-sawfish/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
St. John, James. “Smalltooth Sawfish.” Animalia, animalia.bio/smalltooth-sawfish. Accessed 1 May 2024.