Sawfish

Tropical rays, which are in some circles thought to be related to sharks, Sawfish are found in rivers, lacks and places here saltwater will be mixed with fresh water in Australia.

Sawfish have a very flat body, with a long flat snout that has given them the nick name, sharks with swords.

Sawfish

Sawfish have a long shark tail which helps it to move through the water very gracefully and very rapidly. The sawfish is a fish which lives on the bottom of its environment, and feeds there. It is called a bottom dweller and its flat head and body indicate this to the observer.

The sharp teeth on each side of the sword are not really teeth, but scales which have hardened into sharp tooth like state. Inside the jaw are also literally thousands of small teeth.

In the same fashion as other ray type creatures, the nostrils and their gills are below them, on the flat part of their bodies.

They may range in color from tan to deep brown, usually depending on the locale where they live, but also in part depending on the species.

The females bear live young, which are born with a soft sword rather than a hardened one. It does harden but takes several days to do so.

Sawfish Diagram

Sawfish eat smaller fish and invertebrates which live on the bottom of the area in which they live. Among their favorite foods are shrimp and crab, which they swallow whole.

They may grow in size up to 6 feet in length, and are the largest freshwater fish in Australia. Sawfish can travel from freshwater to salt water with no ill effects and do so regularly.Find out more about the Sawfish over at Wikipedia »