Endangered Species Guide : Fish : Animal Planet

Endangered Fish

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SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH (Pristis pectinata)

Like sharks, skates and rays, sawfish have skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone. The smalltooth sawfish is a long, sleek fish that occurs in shallow coastal and estuarine waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico. It also has a long, flattened snout lined with rows of teeth that it uses to locate and subdue prey. In addition to facing the threat of hunting, pollution and habitat loss, it is extremely vulnerable to being caught in fishing lines.

NEXT FISH: Andean Catfish »

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Hunting, pollution, habitat loss and being caught in fishing lines
Habitat: Shallow coastal and estuarine waters
Location: Altantic and Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico
Diet: Mainly fish and some crustaceans

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