The Tropical sawshark, (Pristiophorus delicatus), is a recently described species of Sawshark, family Pristiophoridae, formerly known in as Pristiophorus sp. B. It is prevalent to northeastern Australia, found on the upper continental slope off Queensland from south of the Samaurez Reef, at a depth of 807–1,329 feet.
Family: Pristiophoridae – Sawsharks
Genus: Pristiophorus
Species: delicatus
Phylum– Chordata
Class– Chondrichthyles
Subclass– Elasmobranchii
Common Name– Sawsharks
Family– Pristiophoridae
Common Name– Sawsharks
Genus– Pristiophorus
Species– delicatus
Status: IUCN Red List LEAST CONCERN
Average Size and Length: The maximum known length of a Tropical sawfish is 2.8 feet for females and 2 feet for males (although no mature males have yet been examined).
Teeth and Jaw: The mouth of the Tropical sawshark is large and broadly arched; there are 47 tooth rows in the upper jaw and 37 in the lower. The teeth have flattened, oval bases and a single narrow, pointed cusp.
Juvenile Tropical sawsharks usually have 2 to 3 smaller teeth between large lateral rostral teeth.
Head: The elongated, saw-like snout tapers evenly to its tip, and has very slender lateral teeth of variable length and a pair of filamentous, dorsoventrally flattened barbels. The eyes are large and oval in shape. Its nostrils about one-third the distance from the corner of the mouth to the barbel attachment on the rostrum. The nostrils are between 5.0 and 6.0 times the preorbital length. The preoral length of the rostrum is between 29%-31%.
Tail: The caudal fin is short, with the lower lobe absent.
Demographic, Distribution, Habitat, Environment and Range: The Tropical sawshark is prevalent to northeastern Australia, found on the upper continental slope off Queensland from south of the Samaurez Reef, at a depth of 807–1,329 feet.
Aesthetic Identification: The body of the Tropical sawfish is slender with a circular cross-section and depressed forward of the gill slits. The coloration is uniform pale to medium yellow- brown above and counter-shaded white below. There are pronounced white rear margins on the dorsal and caudal fins. The paired fins are mostly pale with brownish basal portions clearly demarcated from the rest of the fin. The pectoral fins are large with narrowed rounded tips and weakly concave rear margins. The two dorsal fins are well-separated, the first longer and broader than the second.
Biology and Reproduction: Very little is known of the biology of the Tropical sawshark. Its small size may indicate that it is reproductively fruitful. Research suggests presumably ovoviviparous.
Behavioral Traits, Sensing and Intelligence: Unknown.
Tropical Sawshark Future and Conservation: There is little fishing pressure within its range.
Tropical Sawshark Recorded Attacks on Humans: Not a threat to humans.