Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Longnose Sawshark Pristiophorus cirratus
Like all sawsharks, the longnose sawshark has a head that is flattened and extended to form a long, saw-like projection, or rostrum. This is edged with rows of large, sharp teeth. Two long sensory barbels hang down from the underside of the rostrum, which is studded with further sense organs, and the shark uses these to detect vibrations and electrical fields. The longnose sawshark seeks out and kills prey, such as fish and crustaceans, by poking around on the seabed and slashing out sideways with its rostrum.
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- Order Pristiophoriformes
- Length Up to 4 ft (1.4 m)
- Weight Not recorded
- Depth 130–1,200 ft (40–310 m)
- Distribution Temperate and subtropical waters of southern Australia
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