First record of a mature female dwarf sawfish, Pristis clavata

Abstract

This paper describes the first confirmed record of a mature female dwarf sawfish, Pristis clavata , based on the dissection of an individual from the Karajarri Indigenous Protected Area in northwestern Australia. The 307‐cm female, found deceased on an intertidal sandflat in July 2024, was in the early stages of pregnancy, with large ova visible in both uteri. Counts of vertebral growth zones suggested an age of 12 years. This record provides the first empirical insights into female size‐ and age‐at‐maturity, longevity and reproductive biology of this Critically Endangered fish.

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