First confirmed record of the Critically Endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron from Bangladeshi waters

J Fish Biol. 2019 Jan;94(1):200-203. doi: 10.1111/jfb.13874. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Abstract

In a study identifying the species composition of illegally traded elasmobranch products, evidence was collected of the presence of green sawfish Pristis zijsron in Bangladeshi waters of the Bay of Bengal. This is the first confirmed record of Pristis zijsron from this region, extending its known range > 1000 km to the north-west. This is an important record in a region where sawfish have declined significantly and are now rarely sighted; it highlights the urgency of further regional species-specific studies within the Indian Ocean.

Keywords: Pristis pristis; Bay of Bengal; CITES Appendix I; sawfish conservation; sawfish distribution.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal*
  • Demography
  • Elasmobranchii / physiology*
  • Endangered Species*
  • Indian Ocean
  • Population Density
  • Species Specificity

Grants and funding