Duffy, C.

Seeto, Johnson

Trnski, T.

University of the South Pacific Electronic Research Repository

Accepted by M. R. de Carvalho: 14 Oct.. 2011; published: 1 Dec. 2011  65ZOOTAXAISSN 1175-5326  (print edition)ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)Copyright © 2011  ·   Magnolia PressZootaxa 3115: 65–67    (2011) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ CorrespondenceReview of records of sawfishes (Chondrichthyes: Pristidae) from Fiji, with deletion of Pristis zijsron Bleeker, 1851 and Pristis sp. from the faunaCLINTON DUFFY1,4, JOHNSON SEETO2 & TOM TRNSKI3 1Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, Private Bag 68908, Newton, Auckland 1145, New Zealand2School of Marine Studies, The University of the South Pacific, Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji 3Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, Private Bag 92018, Auckland 1142, New Zealand4Corresponding author. E-mail: cduffy@doc.govt.nzSawfishes (Pristidae) are large shark-like batoids with a distinctive flattened, greatly elongated rostrum armed on eachside with a row of large transverse teeth. Two genera and at least four species occur in the Indo-West Pacific, of whichAnoxypristis cuspidata (Latham, 1794), Pristis microdon Latham, 1794 and P. zijsron Bleeker, 1851 have widespreaddistributions and P. clavata Garman, 1906 appears to be restricted to northern Australia (Compagno & Last, 1999; Last& Stevens, 2009; Phillips et al., 2011). All sawfishes are threatened by over fishing and habitat loss, with rangereductions and local extinctions reported for several species (Simpfendorfer, 2000; Monte-Luna et al., 2007; Last &Stevens, 2009; Wueringer, et al. 2009; Phillips et al., 2011). All Indo-Pacific sawfishes are assessed by the IUCN asCritically Endangered with decreasing population trends (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org/, 10 Sep. 2011).Sawfishes generally inhabit shallow inner shelf and coastal waters, as well as estuarine and freshwater habitats (Last& Stevens, 2009; Wueringer et al., 2009). The eastern distributional limit of sawfishes in the tropical Western CentralPacific is generally considered to encompass the Philippine Islands, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and the northeastcoast of Australia (Compagno & Last, 1999; Powell & Powell, 1999; Last & Stevens, 2009). However, Seeto & Baldwin(2010) reported P. zijsron and Pristis sp. from Fiji based upon the provenance of specimens held in the ichthyologycollections of the Australian Museum Sydney (AMS) and Melbourne Museum, Museum Victoria (NMV) respectively.This represents a 3000 km eastwards range extension for the family. Given their conservation status and lack ofcontemporary records of sawfishes from Fiji or elsewhere in Oceania (Ryan 1980; Boseto 2006; Rasalato et al. 2010;Polidoro et al. 2011; B. Carlson, R Thaman, J. Brunnschweiler, M. Neumann pers. comm.; J.S. pers. obs.) it is importantto confirm the identity and provenance of these specimens. We report that information herein. All Fijian sawfish material held by the AMS and NMV proved to be dried rostra. These were identified to speciesusing diagnostic morphological characters described by Compagno & Last (1999), Thorburn et al. (2007) and Last &Stevens (2009). The authors’ identifications of the NMV material were independently checked by N. Phillips, MurdochUniversity. Photographs and detailed measurements of this material are available from the senior author upon request.The AMS material was not measured in detail as it was only possible to examine photographs of the rostra. Themeasurements of rostral length and width reported here were made directly from a ruler included in the photographs forscale.Material examined: Pristis zijsron: AMS IB.2315, photographs of two dried rostra, Fiji or New Guinea, coll. Gazeor Geach, 1949; (1) rostrum length (RL) c. 284 mm, width at last tooth (WB) c. 34 mm (8.35 in length), sides of rostrumalmost parallel, spacing between posterior teeth noticeably wider than anterior teeth, posterior teeth conspicuouslyshorter than anterior teeth, tooth count 27/25; (2) RL 262 mm, WB 32 mm (8.19 in length), sides of rostrum almostparallel, spacing between posterior most teeth noticeably wider than anterior teeth, posterior teeth conspicuously shorterthan anterior teeth, tooth count 26/27. Pristis microdon: NMV A15774, with native implements from Fiji I., coll. Mrs J.G. Howden, 24.8.1929: RL 381 mm, WB 68.7 mm (5.54 times in length), rostrum tapering noticeably towards tip, widthat tip (WT) 29.83 mm (0.43 WB), tooth count 21/22, length of largest intact tooth 23.03 mm, groove on posterior edge oftooth extending into the rostrum. Pristis clavata: NMV A15810, three rostra, with native implements from Fiji I., Mrs J.G. Howden, 24.8.1929: (1) RL 165.3, WB 30.8 mm (5.37 in length), WT 17.6 mm (0.57 WB), tooth count 20/21, lengthof largest intact tooth 11.9 mm, posterior edge of teeth convex; (2) RL 223, WB 37.94 mm (5.88 in length), WT 20.95mm (0.55 WB), tooth count 21/22, length of largest intact tooth 20.09 mm, shallow groove on posterior edge of tooth; (3)TERMS OF USEThis pdf is provided by Magnolia Press for private/research use. Commercial sale or deposition in a public library or website is prohibited.DUFFY ET AL.66  ·  Zootaxa 0000  © 2011 Magnolia PressRL 231.22, WB 39.7 mm (5.82 in length), WT 20.56 mm (0.52 WB), tooth count 22/23, length of largest intact tooth19.19 mm, posterior edge of teeth convex. Remarks. Although the collection data associated with NMV A15774 and A15810 indicates that these rostraoriginated from Fiji, further investigation revealed they formed part of a mixed purchase that included a club and abasket from Fiji, two carvings from New Guinea, and spear throwers, throwing sticks and ceremonial objects fromAustralia (D. Bray pers. comm.). The provenance of these specimens is therefore unknown, although as noted above P.clavata is considered to be endemic to northern Australia. Pristis microdon occurs in New Guinea and Australia (Last &Stevens, 2009).As it is not possible to determine the provenance of any of the material examined there is no physical evidence of theoccurrence of sawfishes in Fijian waters. Furthermore putative linguistic evidence for their occurrence in Fiji is alsodoubtful. Capell (1973, p. 180) gave saku-laya as the Fijian name for “the saw-fish proper.” However Blust’s (1980, pp.140, 389) reconstruction of this name suggests that it actually applies to the sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), andCapell’s (1973) definition of saku as “a sword-fish, Makaira spp.”, with saku-laya listed as a “kind” is consistent withthat interpretation. Morgan (1999) gives the Fijian name for the sailfish as sa'u laca. The occurrence of sawfishes at oceanic islands has been questioned by some authors (e.g. Monte-Luna et al., 2007);however sawfish were occasionally landed at Nabukalou Creek, central Suva, during the early to mid 1960s (JS pers.obs.). Unfortunately, the species of sawfish and their capture locations are unknown. Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) frequently utilise the same coastal habitats as sawfishes. The fact that bothWhitley (1927) and Fowler (1959) recorded C. leucas from Fiji but not sawfishes, suggests that if they occurred in Fijisawfishes were either rare, or present only as vagrants. If the latter of these scenarios was the case, then depletion andrange contraction of western source populations could explain the lack of contemporary records. Confirmation of thespecies of sawfish occurring in Fiji must await the capture and examination of new specimens, or the discovery ofhistoric photographs and/or additional museum specimens. Until this occurs, Pristis zijsron should be deleted from thefauna. Reference to Pristis sp. from Fiji should also be avoided as it is possible that Anoxypristis could straggle to Fiji.Two other shark-like batoids, Glaucostegus typus (Rhinobatidae) and Rhynchobatus sp. (Rhynchobatidae, as R.djiddensis, see Compagno & Last, 2008, p. 230), are recorded from Fiji, with Rhynchobatus sp. recorded as far east asWestern Samoa (Wass, 1984; Compagno & Last, 2008; Seeto & Baldwin, 2010). The status of these species in Oceania isalso very poorly known. AcknowledgementsWe thank Mark McGrouther and Amanda Hay, AMS, and Dianne Bray, MuseumVictoria for kindly providing access to,and collection data for the specimens referred to here; Nicole Phillips, Murdoch University for her assistance withidentification of the rostra; and Dr Juerg Brunnschweiler, ETH Zurich, Dr. Bruce Carlson, U.S. Peace Corps MarineSurvey Team - Fiji (1972–1975), Mike Neumann, Beqa Adventure Divers, and and Dr Randolph Thaman, University ofthe South Pacific, for sharing their knowledge of Fijian fishes. ReferencesBlust, R. (1980) Austronesian Etymologies. Oceanic Linguistics, 19(1/2), 1–181, 183–189.Boseto, D. (2006) Diversity, distribution and abundance of Fijian freshwater fishes. Unpublished thesis, Master ofMarine Science, University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus, Suva, 256 pp. Capell, A. (1973) A New Fijian Dictionary. 4th edition. Government Printers, Suva, 407 pp.Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. (1999) Order Pristiformes, Pristidae, Sawfishes. In: Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (Eds.),The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific Volume 3: Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishespart 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations, Rome, pp. 1410 – 1417.Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. (2008) A new species of wedgefish, Rhynchobatus palpebratus sp. nov.(Rhynchobatoidei: Rhynchobatidae), from the Indo–West Pacific. In: Last, P.R., White, ,W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J.(Eds.), Descriptions of New Australian Chondrichthyans. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 022.CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, pp. 227 – 240.Fowler, H.W. (1959) Fishes of Fiji. Government of Fiji, Suva, 670 pp. Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. (2009) Sharks and rays of Australia. Second edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 644 p.TERMS OF USEThis pdf is provided by Magnolia Press for private/research use. Commercial sale or deposition in a public library or website is prohibited. Zootaxa 0000  © 2011 Magnolia Press  ·   67RECORDS OF SAWFISHES FROM FIJI Monte-Luna, P. del, Lluch-Belda, D., Serviere-Zaragoza, E., Carmona, R., Reyes-Bonilla, H., Aurioles-Gamboa, D.,Castro-Aguirre, J.L., Guzmán del Próo, S.A., Trujillo-Millán, O. & Brook, B.W. (2007) Marine extinctions revisited.Fish and Fisheries, 8, 107–122.Morgan, R.C. (1999) Fish names in languages of Tonga and Fiji. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 462. National Museum ofNatural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., 8 pp. Phillips, N.M., Chaplin, J.A., Morgan, D.L. & Peverell, S. C. (2011) Population genetic structure and genetic diversity ofthree critically endangered Pristis sawfishes in Australian waters. Marine Biology, 158(4), 903–915.Polidoro, B.A, Elfes, C.T., Sanciangco, J.C., Pippard, H. & Carpenter, K.E. (2011) Conservation status of marinebiodiversity in Oceania: an analysis of marine species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Journal ofMarine Biology 2011, Article ID 247030, 14 pp. Doi:10.1155/2011/247030. Powell, J.H. & Powell, R.E. (1999) The freshwater ichthyofauna of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea. PacificScience, 53(4), 346–356.Rasalato, E., Maginnity, V. & Brunnschweiler, J.M. (2010) Using local ecological knowledge to identify shark riverhabitats in Fiji (South Pacific). Environmental Conservation, 37(1), 90–97.Ryan, P.A. (1980) A checklist of the brackish and freshwater fish of Fiji. South Pacific Journal of Natural Science, 1, 58–73. Seeto, J. & Baldwin, W. J. (2010) A Checklist of the Fishes of Fiji and a Bibliography of Fijian Fish. Division of MarineStudies Technical Report 1/2010. The University of the South Pacific, Suva, 102 pp.Simpfendorfer, C.A. (2000) Predicting population recovery rates for endangered western Atlantic sawfishes usingdemographic analysis. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 58, 371–377.Thorburn, D.C., Morgan, D.L., Rowland, A.J. & Gill, H.S. (2007) Freshwater Sawfish Pristis microdon Latham, 1794(Chondrichthyes : Pristidae) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Zootaxa, 1471, 27–41. Wass, R.C. (1984) An annotated checklist of the fishes of Samoa. NOAA Technical Report SSRF-781. National MarineFisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce.Whitley, G.P. (1927) A checklist of the fishes recorded from Fijian waters. Journal of the Pan-Pacific ResearchInstitution, 2, 3–8.Wueringer, B.E., Squire Jr., L. & Collin, S.P. (2009) The biology of extinct and extant sawfish (Batoidea:Sclerorhynchidae and Pristidae). Reviews of Fish Biology and Fisheries, 19, 445–464.TERMS OF USEThis pdf is provided by Magnolia Press for private/research use. Commercial sale or deposition in a public library or website is prohibited.

Review of records of sawfish (Chondrichthyes: Pristidae) from Fiji, with deletion of Pristis zijsron Bleeker, 1851 and Pristis sp. from the fauna

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