Shark
Sixgill Sawshark
Pliotrema warreni
A slender deep-water shark with a long toothed saw-like snout and six gill slits, found off the South African coast.
Also known as saaghaai, sawshark, sixgill saw shark, warren's sawshark
- Typical size
- Commonly 0.8-1.4 m
- Habitat
- Deeper continental shelf and slope, soft bottoms
- Depth
- Around 60-500 m
The sixgill sawshark is easily identified by its long, flat, blade-like snout edged with sharp teeth and a pair of trailing barbels, plus the unusual six gill slits that set it apart from most other sawsharks. Its body is slim and sandy-brown above with a pale belly, built for cruising the seabed at depth.
It lives on the deeper continental shelf and slope off the Cape and KZN coast, using the sensitive barbels and toothed rostrum to detect and rake small fish and invertebrates from the bottom. A harmless, seldom-seen deep-water species, it is almost never encountered by divers and is known mainly from trawl and research catches. Its restricted range and deep habitat make it a species of conservation interest.