Saw shark Facts
Saw shark Facts
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| Interesting Saw shark Facts: |
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| Saw sharks can reach 5 feet in length and up to 18.7 pounds in weight. Females are slightly larger than males. |
| Body of saw shark is covered with placoid scales (called dermal denticles) with pointed tops. Saw shark has yellowish-brown skin, covered with dark blotches and spots. Skin coloration provides camouflage (saw shark easily blends with the sandy bottoms). |
| Saw shark has long snout edged with sharp teeth which alternate in size (smaller teeth are inserted between larger teeth). |
| Saw shark has a pair of barbels in the middle of the snout. They are used as a sensory organ which facilitates detection of the prey. |
| Saw shark has two dorsal fins, but it lacks anal fin. Saw shark has 5 or 6 pairs of gills (depending on the species) located laterally, behind the head. |
| Even though saw shark and sawfish share similarities in appearance, they differ in several aspects. Sawfish are larger, they don't have barbels, and their gills are located on the bottom side of the body (like in rays). |
| Just like other species of sharks, saw sharks use an organ called ampullae of Lorenzini (which contains electroreceptors) to detect prey. |
| Saw shark use their serrated snout to kill the prey. Fast movement of the snout from side to side cuts the prey into fine chops that can be swallowed easily. |
| Saw shark is carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet consists of various types of fish, crustaceans and squids. |
| Saw shark can live as a solitary creature, or be a part of a group called school. |
| Mating season of saw sharks takes place seasonally in the coastal areas. Females mate once every two years. |
| Saw shark is ovoviviparous animal. That means that eggs hatch inside the female's body after pregnancy of 12 months. Female can deliver from 3 to 22 babies (litter usually consists of 10 babies). |
| Young saw sharks are born with folded teeth (to prevent serious injuries of mother during the birth). They are born fully developed and look like miniature version of adults. |
| Saw sharks take care of their young until they become sexually mature (at the age of 2 years) and able to fend for themselves. |
| Saw shark can survive more than 15 years in the wild. |
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