Common sawfish
📖 Overview
A euryhaline species . Inhabits inshore coastal waters to moderate depth, also around off lying islands. Found also in estuaries, lagoons, river mouths, and even freshwater. Feeds on fishes and bottom-living animals. Ovoviviparous. Apparently can reproduce in freshwater . Freshwater populations occur to about 750 km up Amazon River; populations in Lake Nicaragua may be non-migratory . Reaches sexual maturity at 8-10 years and females have litters of approximately 1-13 pups. Young spend much of their early life in rivers up to 400 km from the sea .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Diagnosis: Rostral blade with 20 or fewer pairs of rostral spines . : elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Common sawfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on yolk .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 25 - ? m . Subtropical; 35°N - 40°S, 120°W - 160°E West Africa (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
fishes and bottom-living animals
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pristis antiquorum | Latham | 1794 | Synonym |
| Pristis canaliculata | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Pristis caniculata | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Pristis mississippiensis | Rafinesque | 1820 | Heterotypic |
| Pristis perotteti | Valenciennes | 1841 | Synonym |
| Pristis typica | Poey | 1861 | Synonym |
| Pristis woermanni | Fischer | 1884 | Synonym |
| Squalus pristis | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 16 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Common sawfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.