-
Size
18 feet (550 cm) to 23.9 feet (730 cm) -
Diet
Slow schooling fishes, such as mullet -
Range
Indo-West Pacific -
Habitat
Mainly bottom dwelling, found in shallow bays, lagoons and estuaries
Physical Characteristics
Size
- Common length of 18 feet (550 cm), with a maximum length of 23.9 feet (730 cm).
Body Composition
- Heavy, shark like body; very flat on ventral side.
- Long, narrow rostrum is common to all sawfish. In this species, the “saw” is the longest of all, reaching a maximum length of 5.4 feet (164.5 cm).
- Typically 25-34 rostal teeth (actually modified dermal dentricles) on either side of the saw.
Color
- Displays countershading; dark olive or grey on dorsal side and pale yellow or white underneath.
Animal Fact
The longcomb sawfish’s “saw” can be as long as 5.4 feet (1.6 m).
Diet / Feeding
Diet
- Diet consists primarily of slow schooling fishes, such as mullet.
Feeding
- Stuns prey by quick swipes of the saw.
- Shellfish and crustaceans are also consumed; sawfish will use its saw to sweep these animals out of the sand.
Range / Habitat
Range
- Occurs in the Indo-West Pacific, Australia and Papua New Guinea, eastern coast of Africa north to the Red Sea, as well as China and south to New South Wales.
Habitat
- Mainly bottom dwelling, found in shallow bays, lagoons and estuaries. Has been found at depths up to 131 feet (40 m), but 1 to 16 feet (1 to 5 m) seems to be most common.
Reproduction & Growth
- It has been suggested (Grant, 1978) that adult males will use their saws in dominance and mating battles.
Conservation Status
- “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
Additional Information
- Also known as the “green” sawfish and the “narrowsnout” sawfish.
- Vulnerable to nets; both fishing and shark control nets surrounding beaches.
- Predators include tiger and bull sharks, as well as freshwater crocodiles.
