Anoxypristis cuspidata

(Latham, 1794)


Knifetooth sawfish
Classification: Elasmobranchii Rhinopristiformes Pristidae

Reference of the original description
Latham, J. (1794)
An essay on the various species of Sawfish. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 2, 273–282

Image of the original description

Anoxypristis cuspidata (Latham, 1794)

Synonyms / new combinations and misspellings
Anoxypristis cf. cuspidata, Anoxypristis cuspidatus, Oxypristis cuspidatus, Pristis cuspidata, Pristis cuspidatus, Pristis semisagittatus, Pristis (Anoxypristis) cuspidata, Squalus cuspidatus, Squalus semisagittatus

Types
Anoxypristis cuspidata
Neotype: MNHN: 1250;
Squalus semisagittatus
XXXX: No types known;


Description :


Citation: Anoxypristis cuspidata (Latham, 1794): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 03/2024

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Anoxypristis cuspidata (Latham, 1794), © FAO, www.fish-base.org
Common names
spa Pez espada, eng Knifetooth sawfish, eng Narrow sawfish, eng Pointed saw-fish, eng Pointed sawfish, eng Saw fish, eng Saw shark, eng Sawfish

Short Description
Greyish above, pale below; fins usually pale. Body shark-like, pectoral fins distinct; head flattened, with a blade-like snout bearing 18-22 pairs of lateral teeth; blade slender, not tapering distally. Nostrils very narrow with small nasal flaps. Rostral teeth short, flattened, broadly triangular, lacking a groove along posterior margins; no teeth on basal quarter of blade. Adults with widely spaced denticles, young with naked skin.

Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia [24867]. Source: www.gbif.org

Human uses
fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Biology
Ovoviviparous. Litter size from 6 to 23, young born in the spring [541]. Inhabits coastal waters and estuaries; probably ascends rivers but its occurrence in freshwater needs to be verified [541]. Common in sheltered bays with sandy bottoms. Feeds on small fish and cuttlefish.

Size / Weight / Age
470 cm TL (male/unsexed; [541])

Habitat
benthopelagic; amphidromous [17660]; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 40 m [541], usually ? - 40 m (Ref. 55270)

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=274; CITES: (see: Protected Species for more details) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Speciesof Wild Fauna and Flora annex: I; Council Regulation 2017/160 annex: A

Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)
Cestoda
Isopoda
  • Livoneca ovalis (Say, 1818) [23898]