Sawfish is a family of fish with long snouts that resemble saws. Sawfish are a kind of boneless fish called a ray (see Ray). Some kinds of sawfish may reach more than 23 feet (7 meters) in length.
Sawfish live in warm waters, typically near shorelines. They have flattened bodies and spend much of their time lying on the sea floor. Sawfish can breathe while lying still on the bottom. They do this by drawing water into their gills through large holes behind the eyes.
The sawfish’s “saw“ is called a rostrum. The rostrum is lined with sharp scales that resemble teeth. Sawfish use the rostrum to dig in the mud for fish and invertebrates (animals without backbones) to eat. They also swipe the rostrum from side to side as they swim through schools of fish, stunning or impaling their prey. Sawfish sometimes wipe their rostrums on the sea floor, removing impaled fish. When Sawfish give birth, the rostrums of newborns have a rubbery covering that soon dissolves.
Sawfish are in great danger of extinction, and international law bans their trade. Sawfish rostrums and fins are highly prized by some cultures. Fishing crews unintentionally catch many sawfish in their nets.
