The tropical sawshark is a sawshark species found in the waters of Australia. Its scientific epithet – “delicatus” – means delicate in Latin and refers to the delicate teeth on the shark’s rostrum.
Tropical Sawshark Scientific Classification |
|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes |
| Order | Pristiophoriformes |
| Family | Pristiophoridae |
| Genus | Pristiophorus |
| Scientific Name | P. delicatus |
Description
The maximum length of a female tropical sawshark is 2.8 ft while that of a male is 2 ft, though a fully grown male has yet to be studied. It has a thin body with an elongated snout. Slender lateral teeth of various lengths and a pair of flattened barbells can be seen on the rostrum.
Tropical sawsharks have large, oval eyes and nostrils at one-third distance from the mouth. Its mouth is wide and arched, with 47 tooth rows in the upper jaw and 37 tooth rows in the lower jaw. They have two pectoral fins with narrowed rounded tips, two broad dorsal fins, the first more prominent than the second, and a short caudal fin.
They are pale to medium yellow-brown dorsally and white ventrally. There are white rear margins in the caudal and dorsal fins and the paired fins are mostly pale with some brownish basal portions.
Where do they live
Map Of The Tropical Sawshark’s Habitat
Tropical sawsharks occupy a small range in northeastern Australia, off the state of Queensland south of the Samaurez Reef.
They live on the upper continental shelf at a depth range of 807–1329 feet.
Behavior
Reproductive
While very little is known about this shark’s reproductive behavior, it is believed to be ovoviviparous.
Adaptations
Like all sawsharks, the rostrum acts as a tool to hunt prey and as a weapon to defend itself from predators.
Interactions with humans
The IUCN classifies the tropical sawshark as “Least Concern” or “LC”.
