Country Species Summary

Pristis microdon in Curaçao Island
Largetooth sawfish

Pristis microdon Latham, 1794
Family:	Pristidae (Sawfishes)	picture (Prmic_u1.jpg) by CSIRO
Order:	Pristiformes (sawfishes)
Class:	Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays)
FishBase name:	Largetooth sawfish
Max. size:	700 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 58048); max. published weight: 600.0 kg (Ref. 3164); max. reported age: 30 years
Environment:	demersal; amphidromous ; depth range 0 - 10 m
Climate:	tropical; 24 - 26°C; 22°N - 39°S
Global Importance:	fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience:	Very low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=10; tmax=30; Fec=1)
Distribution:	Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to New Guinea, north to the Philippines and Viet Nam, south to Australia. Also Atlantic and eastern Pacific if Pristis perotteti and Pristis zephyreus are synonymized with this species. The original description of Pristis microdon did not give a locality, but most authors have used the name Pristis microdon for the Indo-West Pacific sawfishes of this species group as contrasted from the Atlantic Pristis perotteti and the eastern Pacific Pristis zephyreus.
Diagnosis:	Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. A heavily-bodied sawfish with a short but massive saw which is broad-based, strongly tapering and with 14-22 very large teeth on each side; space between last 2 saw-teeth on sides less than 2 times space between first 2 teeth (Ref. 5578). Pectoral fins high and angular, 1st dorsal fin mostly in front of pelvic fins, and caudal fin with pronounced lower lobe (Ref. 5578). Greenish, grey or golden-brown above, cream below (Ref. 5578).
Biology:	Inhabits sandy or muddy bottoms of shallow coastal waters, estuaries, river mouths, and freshwater rivers and lakes. Usually found in turbid channels of large rivers over soft mud bottoms (Ref. 2847, 44894). Adults usually found in estuaries and young ascend into fresh water. Large adults can also be found in fresh water, but are rarely caught (Ref. 12693). Feeds on benthic animals and small schooling species. Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). The saw is used for grubbing and attacking prey as well as for defense. The saws sell as tourist souvenirs (Ref. 7248). Occasionally caught by demersal tangle net and trawl fisheries in the Arafura Sea; possibly extinct in parts of the Indo-Pacific; highly susceptible to gill nets. Utilized for its fins and meat (both of very high value), and skin and cartilage (Ref.58048)
Threatened:	Critically Endangered, see IUCN Red List (A2abcd+3cd+4bcd) , (Ref. 36508)
Dangerous:	traumatogenic , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator:	McEachran, John
Main Ref:	Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens. 1994. (Ref. 6871)
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Curaçao Island country information
Common names:	[ No common name ]	Ref:
Status:	native	Ref:
Salinity:	freshwater, brackish, marine
Uses:	no uses
Country Information:
Occurrences:	Occurrences Point map
Main Ref:	Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez, 1992
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Entered: Agustin, Liza Q.

CGNET - US

Page created by: Eli, 20.10.03, last modified by Eli, 26.06.07

	Ref.:		Glossary
		(e.g. 9948)		(e.g. cephalopods)
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