Family PRISTIDAE

Pristidae

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Introduction

Previously placed in the order Pristiformes, now included in the Rhinopristiformes following Last et al. (2016) and Naylor et al. (2016). They are large, highly modified rays.

Currently, two genera and five species of pristids are recognised from the tropical Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific oceans (Last et al. 2016), four of which are recognised from Australian waters (Last & Stevens 1994, 2009; Compagno & Last 1999; Last et al. 2016). Bigelow & Schroeder (1953) reviewed the sawfishes. Pristis pectinata has been recorded from Australia based on a photo from the Gulf of Carpentaria, but has not been documented and is not included here following Last & Stevens (2009).

Sawfishes live close to the bottom in coastal marine areas and estuaries, and are often found in freshwater. They are ovoviviparous and feed on small fishes. Their biology is discussed by Wueringer, Squire & Collin (2009). Pristids are large, reaching a size of 3 to 8 m. Many are regarded as threatened or vulnerable.

General References

Bigelow, H.B. & Schroeder, W.C. 1953. Sawfishes, guitarfishes, skates and rays. pp. 1-514, figs 1-117 in Parr, A.E. (ed.). Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(2): 1-599

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Pristidae, Rhinidae, Rhinobatidae, Platyrhinidae. pp. 1410-1432 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Last, P.R., Séret, B. and Naylor, G.J.P. 2016. A new species of guitarfish, Rhinobatos borneensis sp. nov. with a redefinition of the family-level classification in the order Rhinopristiformes (Chondrichthyes: Batoidea). Zootaxa 4117(4): 451-475 [463]

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.

Naylor, G.J.P., Yang, L., Corrigan, S. & Carvalho, M.R. de 2016. Phylogeny and classification of rays. pp. 10-15 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds.). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp. [12]

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Wueringer, B.E, Squire, L. Jr & Collin, S.P. 2009. The biology of extinct and extant sawfish (Batoidea: Sclerorhynchidae and Pristidae). Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 19: 445–464

Common Name References

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Pristidae, Rhinidae, Rhinobatidae, Platyrhinidae. pp. 1410-1432 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068. [1410] (FAO) (Sawfishes)

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