Ian Atherton, a resident from Fleetwood, England, went to Florida's Space Coast for an April vacation to catch a shark, Florida Today reported. However, instead, he was able to reel in a distant cousin of the shark that is much rarer and cooler - a sawfish!
Sawfish, also known as carpenter sharks, are closely related to rays and not so much to sharks. They inhabit Florida waters, but their population in the world has continued to plummet. Their current number is only a fraction of their population about 120 years ago when coastal waters were not yet filled with nets.
Freshwater sawfish.These amazing animals can use their saw to dig around looking for prey, or injure and then catch and eat fish by slashing the saw left and right among a shoal of fish. They are rare, with their last strongholds being Northern Australia and Florida. This is the large-tooth sawfish, Prisitis pristis.
Sawfish: Description, Life History, and Diet
Sawfish are fascinating marine creatures with their remarkable flattened rostrum (saw-like snout) and distinctive transverse teeth. This species belongs to the Rajiformes order, a group of flattened marine fish that include rays and skates.
According to Discover Wildlife, there are only five species of sawfish in the world, which are only found in tropical and subtropical waters, with Florida and Australia as the remaining last strongholds for these species. These five species are the following:
- Largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) live in rivers as juveniles and move out to the ocean as it matures.
- Smalltooth sawfish P. pecinata) are found in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Green sawfish (P. zjijsron) live in the Indo-West Pacific and are one of the largest species of sawfish.
- Dwarf sawfish (P. calvata) could grow up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) and can be found in Indo-West Pacific and northern Australia.
- Narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata) is the only species without rostral teeth.
Sawfish got its name from their long rostrum lined with a series of rostral teeth that grow continuously like fingernails if broken. They use their saw-like snout to defend themselves from predators, such as crocodiles and bull sharks.
These marine animals usually prey on fish and crustaceans, using their rostrum to catch and kill their prey, the National Wildlife Federation says. Aside from that, it has tiny pores to detect electric fields produced by prey, a super sense they share with rays and sharks.
Sawfish are ovoviviparous, which means that females carry their young and give birth to several developed juvenile sawfish rather than laying eggs. They reach their maturity at 10 years old and usually live up to 25 to 30 years.
Are Sawfish Considered as Endangered Species?
Unfortunately, the smalltooth sawfish are federally listed as endangered species in 2003 under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Due to overharvesting and entanglement in fishing gear, sawfish populations have declined significantly. Their long, toothed rostrums become easily entangled with fishing lines and nets by commercial fisheries.
Moreover, they have also become a target as their saws are dried and sold as trinkets in some cultures. The loss of mangroves has also affected them since it has served as their nursery habitats. Recovery efforts are in effect to teach fishermen the safe release of sawfish they mistakenly catch while fishing.
What to Do When Accidentally Catching a Sawfish
According to Florida Today, all sawfish caught in the US must be returned to the sea unharmed immediately or face federal charges. No sawfish should be intentionally caught and must always be in the water at all times.
If it is caught by a fishing net, safely untangle the line and free it. Make sure to cut the line as close as the hook and do not handle or remove the hook unless using a long-handled de-hooker. Lastly, do not remove their rostrum.
RELATED ARTICLE: Aussie Crocodile Sends Endangered Sawfish To Its Gory End
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