Narrow Sawfish

Anoxypristis cuspidata is a distinctive cartilaginous fish recognized by its long, blade-like rostrum lined with uniform, closely spaced teeth, distinguishing it from other sawfish species with more widely spaced rostral teeth. It has a slender, shark-like body, gray to olive coloration, and can reach lengths of several meters. The rostrum is used to detect and disable prey, typically small fish and crustaceans found on soft substrates, by slashing through schools or probing sediment.

As a predator in coastal and estuarine food webs, it plays a role in regulating prey populations, though its ecological function is diminished wherever populations have collapsed.

The species inhabits shallow marine, estuarine, and occasionally freshwater environments across a broad but fragmented range spanning the Indo-West Pacific, from the Persian Gulf and South Asia through Southeast Asia to northern Australia, with historical records extending to East Asia. Juveniles depend heavily on estuarine nursery habitats.

Its Critically Endangered status stems from severe vulnerability to entanglement in gillnets and trawl gear, where its toothed rostrum snags easily, combined with targeted harvesting for fins and rostra. Coastal development, pollution, and degradation of estuarine nurseries compound fishing pressure, while a slow reproductive rate limits population recovery. Habitat alteration from aquaculture expansion and shoreline modification further reduces available nursery grounds.

Conservation efforts include international trade restrictions under CITES, some national fishing and possession bans, and marine protected areas in parts of its range, particularly northern Australia. Enforcement remains inconsistent across many range states. Population trends continue to decline, with numerous local extirpations already documented, and the species' long-term outlook remains poor without substantially strengthened fisheries management and habitat protection.

Anoxypristis cuspidata inhabits shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and river mouths throughout the Indo-Pacific region, preferring muddy or sandy bottoms in depths typically less than 40 meters. Juveniles rely heavily on protected estuarine environments as nursery areas, while adults may venture into deeper offshore waters but remain closely associated with continental shelf habitats.