Sawshark

ID points

• Long saw-like snout, with the teeth alternating long and short
• A pair of long barbels hangs from the middle of the saw
• Gill slits on the sides of the body, which is what separates it from a sawfish

Basics

Family

Pristiophoridae

Length

80–150 cm

Depth

40-700 m

Regions

Temperate & polar · Open ocean

Distribution

Middle depths of temperate and tropical seas

Habitat

Mid-water over continental shelves

Diet

Small fish, crustaceans

Easily confused with

CatsharkNarrow cat-like eyes with a nictitating membranePort Jackson SharkA dark harness-shaped band on the flanks, running up over the backArrow CrabCarapace a sharp triangle, with a long spiny snout

Fun fact

A sawshark carries a pair of barbels halfway along its saw blade. That is the giveaway against a sawfish: the sawshark is a true shark, its barbels sit at the middle of the saw, and it is ovoviviparous, with the eggs hatching inside the mother.