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Protected Species in the Gulf of Mexico - NMFS' Southeast Region ...

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Nearshore <strong>Species</strong> <strong>of</strong> Concern<br />

The Largetooth sawfish, a species <strong>of</strong><br />

concern, is generally a tropical mar<strong>in</strong>e and<br />

estuar<strong>in</strong>e elasmobranch. All modern<br />

sawfishes appear <strong>in</strong> some respects to be<br />

more shark-like than ray-like, with only<br />

<strong>the</strong> trunk and especially <strong>the</strong> head ventrally<br />

flattened. The presence <strong>of</strong> a rostrum<br />

hav<strong>in</strong>g laterally protrud<strong>in</strong>g teeth separates<br />

sawfishes from all o<strong>the</strong>r skates and rays.<br />

Historical occurrences <strong>of</strong> largetooth<br />

sawfish <strong>in</strong> North America were much more<br />

limited than those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> related<br />

smalltooth sawfish and were strictly<br />

conf<strong>in</strong>ed to shallow (< 33 feet or 10 m),<br />

near-shore, warm-temperate and tropical<br />

waters (>64-86 oF; 18-30oC), estuar<strong>in</strong>e<br />

localities, partly enclosed lagoons, and<br />

similar situations.<br />

LARGETOOTH<br />

SAWFISH

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