Plants and Animals

The Largest Smalltooth Sawfish Since Records Began Found Dead In Florida Keys

The Largest Smalltooth Sawfish Since Records Began Found Dead In Florida Keys

When the Sawfish spread to the internet fame cut the stains from the bottom when they fully felt their worlds were filling with real lungs of their frustrations with their lung rostrums (the dots on top of the fish that sometimes killed the giant shark)? These species, discovered in 2020, certainly think so.

While probably the most charismatic species in the ocean, these Rhinopristiformes (which are closely associated with sharks) have been roaming the ocean for 100 million years, and – in their defense – you will not see anything fascinating to find yourself on the verge of extinction. Despite endangered, Sawfish reached a new milestone last week as reports led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to take the body of a 4.9-meter (16-foot) tall woman who found dead in Florida Keys.

Although it was the end of the line for dead animals, the discovery marks the largest sawfish on record, weighing about 363 to 454 kg (800 to 1000 pounds). This female specimen is on top of the previous record holder, who was 4.3 meters (14 feet) tall at the age of 14. Dedicated research on these fish began almost two decades ago, so there are still many mysteries surrounding the unique-looking shark (although we know they have a virgin birth). Record-breaking females found at the same time and one deader specimen will now analyzed in more detail about their anatomy, age and perhaps why they died.

“Tissues were taken for DNA analysis that would be compared to other sawfish studied across Florida,” Rachel Scharer of FWC said in an email to IFLScience. “We are adding to our knowledge of when the sawfish mature and we will be able to learn more about the average size of the maturation of the female sawfish from these two. Often these necropsies help us to learn about the parasites they can carry. “The age of a sawfish can be assumed similar to that of older plants, as their polar structure is linked to the age of the animal. Years, so it will be interesting to see how the age of record-breaking women compares,” Scharer added.