# Largetooth Sawfish (*Pristis pristis*)

> The largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) is a giant ray with a toothed rostral saw used to slash fish and probe mud in tropical estuaries and rivers. Adults can exceed 5 m and 350 kg. Remnant strongholds include northern Australia and parts of Central America; IUCN lists the species Critically Endangered after gillnet bycatch and habitat loss.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Critically Endangered
- **Range:** Remnant tropical coasts and rivers; strongholds in northern Australia and parts of Central America.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/sawfish/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Chondrichthyes
- **Order:** Rhinopristiformes
- **Family:** Pristidae
- **Genus:** Pristis

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Pristis pristis |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Estuaries, rivers, and coastal shallows |
| Lifespan | Around 30 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 350 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 20 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |

## Rostrum as saw and sensor

The flattened toothed snout (rostrum) detects prey with electroreceptors and can stun fish with side sweeps. Sawfish are rays, not sharks — gill slits sit on the underside.

## Fish and bottom prey

Diet includes schooling fish slashed in open water and benthic invertebrates disturbed from sediment. Juveniles use rivers and mangroves as nurseries.

## Tropical coasts and rivers

Historically widespread in tropical estuaries and rivers; today remnant populations persist in northern Australia and parts of Central America, with severe declines elsewhere.

## Critically Endangered bycatch victim

Rostrums tangle easily in gillnets, and fins and saws entered wildlife trade. Habitat dams block river migrations. Strict protection and net bans in key range states aim to halt extinction.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a sawfish a shark?

No — sawfish are rays (batoids); their gill slits are underneath, unlike sharks.

### What is the saw used for?

Sensing prey and slashing or probing for fish and invertebrates — not primarily defending against sharks.

### Why are sawfish Critically Endangered?

Entanglement in nets, habitat loss in estuaries and rivers, and historical trade in saws and fins collapsed populations globally.

### Where do largetooth sawfish still live?

Strongholds include northern Australia and some Central American waters; they are gone or rare across much of their former range.

### Can sawfish live in freshwater?

Yes — largetooth sawfish enter rivers and can spend long periods in fresh water.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/sawfish/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.