Pristiophoriformes
Average Size – 5ft
Sawsharks have a long snout edged with sharp teeth, with two long barbels about halfway down their snout.
Found in tropical to temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Small Bony Fish, Squid, and Crustaceans.
Sawsharks use their teeth lined snout to hit their prey by swinging it side-to-side. They also use their barbels to detect said prey.
There are currently 10 known species:
- Pliotrema annae (Kaja’s sixgill)
- Pliotrema kajae (Anna’s sixgill)
- Pliotrema warreni (Warren’s sixgill)
- Pristiophorus cirratus (longnose or common)
- Pristiophorus delicatus (tropical)
- Pristiophorus japonicus (Japanese)
- Pristiophorus lanae (Lana’s)
- Pristiophorus nancyae (African dwarf)
- Pristiophorus nudipinnis (shortnose or southern)
- Pristiophorus schroederi (Bahamas)
The main difference between Sawfish and Sawsharks is that the gill slits of the Sawfish are positioned on the underside like a Ray, while the Sawshark’s gills are positioned along the side of its body.
Here is some more great info as well as a closer look at some of the specific species.
