| Tropical sawshark | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Division: | Selachii |
| Order: | Pristiophoriformes |
| Family: | Pristiophoridae |
| Genus: | Pristiophorus |
| Species: | P. delicatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pristiophorus delicatus | |
 | |
| Range of the Tropical sawshark | |
| Synonyms | |
Pristiophorus peroniensisYearsley, Last & White, 2008[2] | |
Thetropical sawshark,Pristiophorus delicatus, is a recently described species ofsawshark, familyPristiophoridae, formerly known in literature asPristiophorus sp. B. It isendemic to northeasternAustralia, found on the uppercontinental slope offQueensland from south of the Samaurez Reef, at a depth of 246–405 meters (807–1,329 ft). Itsspecific epithetdelicatus isLatin for "delicate", referring to the fineteeth on its saw-likerostrum.[3]
This is a small species; the maximum known length is 85 cm (33 in) for females and 63 cm (25 in) for males (although no mature males have yet been examined). The body is slender with a circular cross-section, and depressed forward of thegill slits. The elongated, saw-like snout tapers evenly to its tip, and bears very slender lateralteeth of variable length and a pair of filamentous, dorsoventrally flattenedbarbels. Theeyes are large and oval in shape. Its nostrils about one-third the distance from the corner of the mouth to the barbel attachment on the rostrum.[4] Themouth is large and broadly arched; there are 47 tooth rows in theupper jaw and 37 in thelower. The teeth have flattened, oval bases and a single narrow, pointedcusp. Thepectoral fins are large with narrowed rounded tips and weakly concave rear margins. The twodorsal fins are well-separated, the first longer and broader than the second. Thecaudal fin is short, with the lower lobe absent.[3]
The coloration is medium brown above and white below; there are pronounced white rear margins on the dorsal and caudal fins. The paired fins are mostly pale with brownish basal portions clearly demarcated from the rest of the fin.[3] Very little is known of the biology of the tropical sawshark; its small size may indicate that it is reproductively productive. There is little fishing pressure within its range, and so it is classified as ofLeast Concern by theWorld Conservation Union.[1]
