Endangered Florida Fish

Smalltooth Sawfish
Photo credit:
Andy
Murch
Smalltooth Sawfish
Pristis pectinata
To begin: what is a Fish?
A fish is an aquatic
vertebrate (has a backbone)
that is cold blooded, has
fins, breathes through gills
and may be covered with
scales.
One of two in the US, the Endangered Smalltooth
Sawfish
was added to the ESA in 2003 and is its only
marine animal.
This species, which historically evolved from
Sharks,
now more closely resembles the Rays and can
be found
primarily in the shallow waters of Coastal
Florida.

Smalltooth Sawfish
Photo credit: David Iliff
Sawfish numbers have rapidly declined due to the
usual,
overfishing and entrapments in nets and
lines.
Another important factor in their decline,
is their difficulty in reproducing.

Smalltooth Sawfish
Photo credit:
Andy Murch
Sadly this rare species has been, like African
Elephants,
killed for a body part to be hung on a wall by hunters.
It is now illegal to take one or harm a Smalltooth
Sawfish,
as they are
finally protected.

A newborn Smalltooth Sawfish, about 2.5 feet long
Photo credit:
Gregg Poulakis/FFWCC
But, their numbers have been reduced by 99%.
Can they recover?
Is it too late?
Only time will tell.
In the meantime, here is a YouTube of them
to enjoy:
Smalltooth Sawfish

The use of this sign kindly permitted by:
Gregg Poulakis/FFWCC
Places to learn more:
Defenders of Wildlife
Smalltooth Sawfish
Elasmodiver
Smalltooth
Sawfish
Environment News Service
Florida Fish Expert Tries to Save Last Sawfish
FFWCC
General Information
Sawfish
Smalltooth Sawfish Species Profile
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Sawfish
Sawfish Links
Sawfish News
Smalltooth Sawfish
IUCN Red List
Smalltooth
Sawfish
Lab Spaces
Endangered Sawfish
Mote Marine Laboratory
News Update for Sawfish
MSNBC
EBay Bans Sale of Endangered Sawfish
National Geographic
Sawfish First Sea Fish on U.S. Endangered List
NOAA
Smalltooth Sawfish
Smalltooth Sawfish - Endangered
Ocean Conservancy
Smalltooth Sawfish
Science Daily
Endangered Billfish
Endangered Sawfish
Sharks Face Extinction
Sharks in Peril
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Decline in Florida's Reef Fish
Smithsonian Marine Station - Ft.
Pierce
Smalltooth
Sawfish
University of Florida
Conserving
the Smalltooth Sawfish
UF Museum of Natural History
Sawfish Questions
Walking with the Alligators

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