Author: Springer and Bullis, 1960
Field Marks:
Five pairs of lateral gill slits, extremely long, narrow sawshark snout 31 to 32% of total length, largely tricuspidate lateral denticles, two spineless dorsal fins, and no anal fin.
Diagnostic Features:
Rostrum very long, narrow, and narrowly tapering, length of preoral snout 31 to 32% of total length. Bases of rostral barbels about 1.1 times closer to mouth than rostral tip; distance from rostral barbels to nostrils about equal to distance from nostrils to second to fourth gill slits. About 13 to 14 large rostral teeth on each side of rostrum in front of rostral barbels, 9 to 10 behind them. Distance from mouth to nostrils 1.2 times internarial space. Tooth rows 33 to 36 in upper jaw. Dorsal and pectoral fins covered with denticles in large specimens. Lateral trunk denticles largely tricuspidate. First dorsal origin about opposite free rear tips of pectorals.
Geographical Distribution:
Western North Atlantic: Bahamas region, between Cuba, Florida and the Bahamas.
Habitat and Biology:
A little-known, deep-water, tropical sawshark of the continental and insular slopes of the Bahamas region, occurring on or near the bottom at depths from 640 to 915 m.
Size:
Maximum total length at least 80 cm.
Interest to Fisheries:
None at present.
Type material:
Holotype: US National Museum of Natural history USNM 185946, 383 mm immature female. Type Locality: About 15 miles east of Dog Rocks, Cay Sol Bank, 24° 05'N, 79°46'W, at 640 m depth.