SAWFISH

any of several species of sharklike rays forming the genus Pristis and the family Pristidae. Sawfishes are found in shallow water in subtropical and tropical regions of the world. They are bottom dwellers, frequenting bays and estuaries and sometimes swimming considerable distances up rivers; some are also known to live and breed in the freshwaters of Lake Nicaragua. Sawfishes have a long, flattened head and body and an elongated snout, much like that of the saw shark, that forms a long, flat blade, edged with strong teeth. The largest sawfishes attain lengths of 7 m (23 feet) or more. Sawfishes are not generally considered dangerous, but their saws, constituting as much as one-third the total length, can be formidable. The saws are used in feeding, either in digging out bottom animals or, when lashed about, in killing or maiming schooling fishes. Sawfishes are reportedly good to eat when small; they are fished in some areas for food, oil, skins, and other products.