Common sawfish  (Pristis pristis)

The common sawfish has an ironic name as it is actually a rare species, facing a very real possibility of extinction (1) (2). The most distinctive feature of the common sawfish is its long, flattened, tapered snout (2) (5), which may measure up to a fifth of the total length (3). Along the edge of this blade are a series of 16 to 20 evenly-spaced, long, thin teeth, creating the appearance of a ‘saw' (2) (5) (6). The skin of the common sawfish is greyish-ochre on the back and sides, and creamy-white on the undersides (7). Sawfish are classed in the same group as sharks, skates and rays (the elasmobranchs), and despite their appearance, are actually more closely related to rays than sharks, having their gills located on the underside of the body and not on the sides (8).