Longnose Sawshark (Pristiophorus cirratus)

The Longnose Sawshark or Pristiophorus cirratus is arguably one of the strangest looking fish in all of our oceans! Not only does this saltwater fish have an EXTREMELY long snout that is adorned with saw-like teeth, but it also has a set of barbels that hang down and help this fish detect movement on the sandy bottom. This species of shark will cruise the bottom using its rostrum and barbels to search for any vibrations or electrical fields in the water. They use their rostrum to poke around on the bottom and then slash at any potential meals!

Also known as the Common Sawshark, this species is from the family Pristiophoridae, and is found in the eastern Indian Ocean around southern Australia.  Often confused with Sawfish, they can be differentiated by the location of their gills, and the lack of barbels in the Sawfish.  They can reach lengths of up to 4-1/2' (1.4 meters) and are found in depths of between 40 and 310 meters.  Feeding on small fish and crustaceans, these sharks are not considered to be dangerous to humans, despite their frightening appearance.   You can check out the Longnose Sawshark in the video below.

Longnose Sawsharks are ovoviviparous, giving birth to between three and twenty-two pups in each litter. The pups are born with their teeth folded against their snout, which protects the mother from harm while they are developing inside. A new born pup is between 11-15" long.  They can live to the ripe old age of 15.   

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