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Species Directory

Dwarf Sawfish

Overview Conservation & Management

Dwarf Sawfish

Pristis clavata

640x427-Dwarf-Sawfish.jpg

Protected Status

ESA Endangered - Foreign
Throughout Its Range
CITES Appendix I
Throughout Its Range

Quick Facts

Weight
Unknown
Lifespan
Over 50 years
Length
Up to 11 feet
Threats
Habitat loss, Mortality associated with commercial and recreational fisheries gear
Region
Foreign
See Regulatory Actions

About The Species

Dwarf sawfish are related to sharks, skates, and rays. Like these related species, dwarf sawfish have skeletons made of cartilage. They get their name from their “saws,” long, flat snouts edged with teeth. Early sawfish first appeared in the ocean about 100 million years ago and modern sawfish species have existed for about 56 million years.

Today, dwarf sawfish are found only in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. The main threats to the dwarf sawfish include habitat loss and entanglement. The dwarf sawfish is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

Protected Status

ESA Endangered - Foreign

  • Throughout Its Range

CITES Appendix I

  • Throughout Its Range

Appearance

Dwarf sawfish are smaller than other sawfish, with the largest reaching a length of about 11 feet. Like other sawfish species, dwarf sawfish are known for their “saws,” flat snouts edged with 19 to 23 teeth (males) and 20 to 22 teeth (females). Their shark-like bodies are olive-brown and covered with teeth-like scales called dermal denticles. Dwarf sawfish have gill slits on their underside. 

Dwarf sawfish can be confused with related species, including the smalltooth sawfish and largetooth sawfish. 

Behavior and Diet

Dwarf sawfish use their saws to find, stun, and kill their prey. They eat mostly small schooling fish, but also sometimes eat crustaceans and mollusks. 

Where They Live

Historically, dwarf sawfish were found in the Indo-Pacific, western Pacific, and eastern Indian Oceans. Today, their range is limited to the waters of north and northwest Australia. There are now very few records of dwarf sawfish in the Indian Ocean or other parts of the Indo-Pacific outside of northwest Australia. 

Dwarf sawfish occur in the shallow waters of coasts and estuaries, where rivers meet the sea. They are sometimes found in rivers up to 6 miles upstream. Like other sawfish species, they prefer the muddy bottoms of their waters.  

Lifespan & Reproduction

Dwarf sawfish can live for more than 50 years. Adults reach sexual maturity when they are 6 to 7 years old. 

Female dwarf sawfish are ovoviviparous, meaning that mothers hold their eggs inside of their bodies until the young sawfish are ready to be born. 

Threats

Habitat Loss

Shallow habitats provide important nurseries for young dwarf sawfish. However, many of these habitats have been damaged or lost. 

Mortality Associated with Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Gear

Dwarf sawfish can become entangled or captured in commercial fishing gear, including nets, lines, and trawls. These interactions can cause the fish to be injured or killed. 

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Chondrichthyes
Order Pristiformes
Family Pristidae
Genus Pristis
Species clavata

Related Species

smalltoorth_sawfish_illustration.jpg

Smalltooth Sawfish

640x427-largetooth-sawfish.png

Largetooth Sawfish

640x427-Narrow-Sawfish.jpg

Narrow Sawfish

640x427-Green-Sawfish.jpg

Green Sawfish

In the Spotlight

Management Overview

The dwarf sawfish is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.


Regulatory History

In 2010, NOAA Fisheries received a petition to list six species of sawfish, including the dwarf sawfish, as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In our 90-day finding, we concluded that the petitioned action may be warranted. After completing a status review, we proposed to list five species as endangered and requested comments from the public. In December 2014, NOAA Fisheries listed five species of sawfish, including the dwarf sawfish, as endangered under the ESA.

Key Actions and Documents

Actions & Documents Incidental Take

Listing 5 Species of Foreign Sawfish Under the ESA

We, NOAA Fisheries, issue this final rule implementing our determination that the narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata), dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata), largetooth sawfish (collectively Pristis pristis; formerly Pristis pristis,&nbsp…
  • Final Rule (79 FR 73978, December 12, 2014)
  • Proposed Rule (78 FR 33300, June 4, 2013)
  • 90-day Finding (76 FR 12308, March 7, 2011)
  • Petition (2010)
Final Rule
,
Foreign
Effective
January 12, 2015

More Information

  • Listing Foreign Species Under the ESA

Science Overview

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