Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Pristiformes
Family: Pristidae
Genus: Pristis

Commercially Exploiting Natural Fibers:

Take a moment and think about the many uses humans could benefit from through the use of the sheath of fibrous material that evolves with the birth of an infant Smalltooth Sawfish. This rare material could be used in the production of female purses as well as men’s billfolds, certain types of exotic clothing, gun and sword scabbards, along with many other inventive alternatives as well. These types of products will appeal the elite and wealthy due to their exotic nature.

Through the use of selective breeding, we can not only control the productivity and usage of the fibrous materials from the sheath, but we will be contributing to nature as well. Upon the completion of breeding and extracting the sheaths, we will be releasing the Sawfish into many natural water sanctuaries around the United States, such as the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, rivers such as the great Mississippi, and also go as far as the Everglades of Florida. This will not only benefit our business and raise profits, but will hopefully take the Smalltooth Sawfish off of the endangered species list.


http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/print/freshwater_sawfish/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltooth_sawfish

Adaptations of the Smalltooth Sawfish:

· The Sawfish is one of few fish that are considered to be an osmoregulator. This means that the Sawfish can adapt to just about any type of water conditions such as salt, brackish, or even fresh water. While lurking throughout these different types of waters, the Sawfish is always busy fighting off predators or searching for food. This fish uses its “saw” like snout to fend off predators much larger than themselves as well as a harpoon for catching food. The Sawfish uses its “saw” like snout to catch its food usually by swimming into a large school of fish, hastily swinging its head, so that the “saw” will skewer its prey.

· Upon adapting to a permanent habitat, the Sawfish will settle down and eventually reach maturity at about ten years of age. It is at this time that these ovoviviparous animals will begin the breeding process. The word ovoviviparous means that these animals produce eggs that develop and hatch within the females body. The development process of the fetal fish usually take five months. The female Sawfish will usually give birth to around six to nine pups after the gestation process takes place.

· I know most of you are wondering about the Sawfish’ long snout and how that affects the birthing process. With all of the sharp teeth that are externally fixated on the snout of these fish, the birthing process must be particularly painful for the mother Sawfish, right? Well not exactly. To protect the mother Sawfish’ uterus, the infant Sawfish’ saw like snout is flexible and also covered with a sheath of heavy fibrous material. This protective sheath is very tough, such as Kevlar, and will usually wear away and fall off shortly after birth.

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Chondrichthyes
Subclass:
Elasmobranchii
Order:
Pristiformes
Family:
Pristidae
Genus:
Pristis

Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata)

Hey all. Meet the Smalltooth Sawfish. My name is Stephen Carter and this blog is designed to inform you about the Smalltooth Sawfish.

This particular species of fish is known to scientists as Pristis Pectinata and originates from the kingdom Animalia. The Smalltooth sawfish belongs to a group of fish called elasmobranchs, which means that their skeletons are made of cartilage such as sharks and rays. Sawfish are easily recognized by their elongated “snout” which takes on the appearance of an actual saw blade and their large, triangular frontal fins that are accompanied by smaller triangular fins in the rear.

The Sawfish species choose to reside mainly along the shallow coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. However, reports indicate that this particular species of fish have been found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well. The Sawfish prefer to make their habitats very close to shore. They prefer the muddy and sandy bottoms that are usually found on shallow banks, sheltered bays, and also some river mouths. The Smalltooth Sawfish is a water adaptable fish. This means that they can survive in the salt waters of the ocean, brackish waters of the bays, and also some reports have indicated that some of the Sawfish species can live in the fresh waters of large river systems as well. This fish species has been found in the following states: Texas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama.

The Sawfish is truly a magnificent fish that sometimes has many difficulties in surviving. Due to their unique physical characteristics, they are extremely vulnerable to entanglements in fishing nets and fishing lines. Fishing prospects indicate that many of the sawfish are caught with unintentional tendencies. The Sawfish’s size (adults sometimes reaching up to 18’ in length) and externally located teeth sometimes become a threat to its own life. Reports have indicated that many of the Sawfish that are caught without intent are usually fatally injured or killed in the process of trying to be freed of the entanglement.

Global warming, in my opinion, would not drastically affect this species of fish. Due to their habitat and survival techniques, this fish would not have a hard time surviving in the shallow waters of the coasts. There will always be a plethora of coast lines and shallow waters for this fish to reside.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Services has the Smalltooth Sawfish listed as an endangered species of fish. What can we do to help? The number one threat to the Sawfish come from the unintentional catching from fishermen. Entanglement from gill nets and fishing line have always posed as a major threat to this species. Fishing explorations are going to continually exist, so the only recommendation that I can suggest that may help aid the survival of the Sawfish is as follows: Try to preserve the life of the Sawfish if ever caught in a net or in fishing line, even if the catch was intentional or not, and never try to harm the fish if seen in shallow water.

References:
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/smalltoothsawfish.htm
http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/SpeciesReport.do?spcode=E0A9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawfish
Image:
http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=5CFCF09D-D2B7-4F72-B057-EC517B8E1F2B