The sawfishes are a near shore family known from tropical and subtropical (including fresh) waters worldwide. They are best characterized by their saw-like snout, which is used to forage for and stun prey. There are two extant genera spanning seven species. (See: Extant Sawfishes.) Fossil sawfishes are best known from their rostral "teeth", either on an isolated basis or still embedded in the calcified rostral cartilage. Oral teeth from these fishes are poorly known.

In all but neonates, which have clearly differentiated "cusps", the functional area of these teeth is created by abrasive wear which "sculpts" the dentine to form a crown. (The genus Peyeria, unfamiliar to the author, is excluded from these comments.) These teeth grow continuously, and growth bands can normally be seen on the basal (usually unworn) portion of the tooth. The anterior edge of these teeth is relatively sharp, but the posterior may vary by species, age and rostral position. In general, elongated teeth with sharp or smoothly rounded posterior edges tend to be ascribed to Anoxypristis and channeled teeth, to Pristis. Cappetta (1987) shows the rostral teeth of Propristis to be short and have a sharp posterior edge.

Cappetta (1987) included four fossil genera in the family: Anoxypristis WHITE & MOY-THOMAS 1941 [Middle Eocene - Recent from Europe, Africa & North America], Peyeria WEILER 1935 [Upper Cretaceous of Africa, Cappetta questioned the validity of calling these specimens pristid], Propristis DAMES 1883 [Middle Eocene - Miocene Africa & North America] and Pristis LINCK, 1790 [Lwr Eocene - Recent - Europe, Africa, Asia & North America].

 Fig. 1 - Pristid rostral teeth (Left)
    A - Pristis cf lathami 39.5 x 5.1 x 11.5 mm
    B - Anoxypristis sp 14.0 x 2.0 x 5.5 mm
    C - Anoxypristis sp 17.0 x 2.8 x 2.2 mm
 Fig. 2 - Pristis cf lathami Neonate tooth (Upr Right)
     11.0 x 2.0 x 4.0 mm
 Fig. 3 - Pristis cf lathami Base close-up (Lwr Right)
Potapaco Member, Nanjemoy Formation, VA
From the collection of Mike Folmer

Anoxypristis WHITE & MOY-THOMAS, 1941

Cappetta (1987) notes that in living Anoxypristis, the oral teeth are small (1 mm class) and wider than long. The crown is high with a sharp transverse crest and smooth enameloid. The crowns lack central or lateral uvulae, and the flat labial face overhangs the root. Occlusally, the tooth is rhombic in shape. The roots are high and laterally expanded, bear large margino-lingual foramina and the nutrient groove is deep. He describes the rostral teeth as being dorso-ventrally compressed with anterior & posterior cutting edges. He goes on to note that a number of described Pristis rostral teeth might possibly be Anoxypristis: imhoffi LERICHE 1832 [Lutetian, Belgium & France], ensidens LEIDY 1877 [Neogene, NJ], ferinus BÖHM 1926 [Eocene, SW Africa], mucrodens WHITE 1926 [Eocene, Nigeria], priemi LERICHE 1932 [Eocene, Paris Basin] and malembeensis DARTEVELLE & CASIER 1943 [Miocene, Zaire].

Illustrated (FIG. 1B-C, 4A-C, 8C) are teeth, which represent the Anoxypristis design, from the Potapaco Member of the Nanjemoy (Early Eocene, Virginia). Case (1994) included teeth of this design as Pristis sp in the Eocene (Ypresian) of Mississippi. Kent (1999) includes similar teeth in the Potapaco fauna as A. mucrodens. Richard Chandler (pers. com.) notes that the smaller teeth with convex posterior edges conform well with descriptions of A. mucrodens, and the larger teeth with straight edges might be Anoxypristis fajumensis (STROMER 1905).

Fig. 4
cf Anoxypristis sp
Rostral teeth  A - 13.9, 2.9, 9.8 mm
 B - 30.0, 3.7, 11.0 mm
 C - 32.5, 4.3, 10.3 mm
Potapaco Member
Nanjemoy Frm. VA
Mike Folmer collection

The below specimen was recovered from Pungo River tailings at the Lee Creek mine and is similar to the illustrated specimens in Purdy et al (2001). It compares well with Eocene specimens from Virginia and certainly has a 'reworked' look.

Fig. 5) cf Anoxypristis sp
Pungo River (?rework) - Aurora, North Carolina
BJ Blake collection

The following associated set of rostral teeth is from the Lee Creek mine, but differs in design (compare basal view) from the previous specimen. Preservation and association strongly suggests that these teeth should be ascribed to the Lee Creek fauna

Fig. 6) Associated Anoxypristis sp rostral teeth
Pungo River Frm - Aurora, North Carolina
Frank & Becky Hyne collection

Pristis LINCK, 1790

Pristis is a Lower Eocene to Recent genus, and the fossil record has yielded more-or-less complete rostra, isolated rostral teeth and rarely, oral teeth. The rostral teeth can be quite long, Kent (1999) reports 80 mm, however, Richard Chandler (pers. com.) indicates that North Carolina specimens exceed 12.5 cm with an even longer example reported from South Carolina. The anterior edge is relatively sharp, and the posterior clearly channeled (concave). The rostral teeth of Pristis tend to be proportionately wider (dorso-ventrally) than their Anoxypristis counterparts.

Cappetta (1987) notes that Pristis oral teeth reach 3 mm but are poorly known, even in recent species where morphologies are varied. In P. pristis, the tooth is longer than broad, the crown is globular & rounded, has a transverse crest, strong uvula (almost as long as the rest of the crown) and no lateral uvulae. The root is deeper than wide and the nutrient groove broad with large central foramen. By contrast, those of P. pectinata are small, broad and labio-lingually compressed. The crown is high with a sharp transverse crest and labial uvula (no lateral uvulae). The root is broader than the crown and the lingual face bears a pair of large margino-lingual foramina. The merging of the lobes creates a "roof" over the groove leaving broad & short canal.

Some of the species included by Cappetta are: P. amblodon COPE 1869 [Middle Eocene, NJ], P. aquitanicus DELEFORTRIE 1872 [Lwr-Mid Miocene, France], P. atlanticus ZBYSZEWSKY 1947 [Mid Miocene Portugal], P. brayi CASIER 1949 [Mid Eocene, Belgium (?syn P. lathami)], P. caheni DARTEVILLE & CASIER 1959 [Miocene Western Africa], P. lathami GALEOTTI 1837 [Lutetian, Lwr-Upr Eocene Anglo-Franco Basin and North Africa], P. olbrechtsi DARTEVILLE & CASIER 1959 [Mid Eocene Western Africa]

Ward & Wiest (1990) included P. lathami in the Woodstock Member of the Nanjemoy (Ypresian) and the Piney Point Formation (Lutetian) of Maryland and Virginia. Teeth of this species have been collected from the Castle Hayne Formation (Middle Eocene) of North Carolina. Kent (1999) included this species in the Potapaco Member of the Nanjemoy. Müller (1999) notes numerous additional references to Pristis in North America: P. acquitanicus (Miocene of Florida), P. agassizi GIBBS 1847 (?Eocene of SC), P. lathami (Miocene of Florida), (?Eocene of SC), P. acquitanicus (Miocene of Florida). Case (1994) and Purdy (1998) reported Pristis from the Thanetian (Late Palaeocene) of Mississippi and South Carolina respectively -- the oldest occurrences of this genus.

Purdy et al (2001) included four Lee Creek pristid rostral teeth which they listed as Yorktown (unit 1). One was attributed to the extant species P. cf pectinatus and the others simply as Pristis sp. Based on the illustrated specimens and description, this last group is more likely to represent Anoxypristis (see Fig. 5). Although pristid specimens are found (rare) in Pungo River & Yorktown tailings, there is some question as to whether or not they originated in these deposits or are merely reworked ?Eocene material.

The included images (FIG. 1A, 7A-D, 10) depict Pristis teeth which are best characterized by their channeled posterior edge. These teeth are larger and less compressed than those of Anoxypristis. Of the 16 larger Potapaco rostral teeth studied and attributed to Pristis, the depth-width ratio averaged 2.2:1 (21-61 mm in length). Pristis rostral teeth in excellent condition have medium-strength growth bands compared to Anoxypristis.

Fig. 7 - Pristis lathami rostral teeth
A - 42.0 x 5.2 x 11.5 mm
B - 39.0 x 5.7 x 13.2 mm
C - 41.5 x 6.2 x 13.2 mm
D - 36.5 x 4.9 x 11.5 mm
Potapaco Member, Nanjemoy Formation, Virginia
From the collection of Mike Folmer

In late 2002, while collecting a stream bank in Summerville, S.C., Michael Farmer uncovered the Eight Sisters, a set of associated (same horizon within 12 inches) pristid teeth. Repeated visits never yielded additional specimens, but those included in the accompanying image are quite stunning. (The larger specimens measure 9 cm.)

Fig. 8 - Pristis cf lathami rostral teeth
Chandler Bridge Formation (Oligocene), South Carolina

Propristis DAMES, 1883

According to Cappetta (1987), this genus is known from a distinctive and nearly complete rostra as well as fragmentary rostrum and isolated rostral teeth. Based on his description and accompanying illustrations, these teeth should prove quite distinctive. The teeth of Propristis schweinfurthi DAMES 1883, which can reach 3 cm, are flat and roughly as deep as long. The posterior edge is convex as is the upper anterior edge. However, there is a shoulder-like projection 50-60% down the anterior margin, and the basal portion of this edge is concave (where it comes in contact with the next tooth). He lists Propristis as reported from the Middle-Upper Eocene and ?Miocene of Africa and the Upper Eocene of Georgia, USA.

Kent (1999) notes that rostral teeth of this species have been found in the Nanjemoy's Potapaco Bed B. The author has not come across examples of this tooth-design from Potapaco sediments.

Neonate Teeth

The Folmer collection includes a large number (18) of small (length < 11.0, depth < 5.0 mm) sawfish teeth, which at first glance, had appeared to be saw shark (Pristiophorus). When serious attention was directed to these rostral teeth, it quickly became obvious that they represented very small (neonate) sawfish teeth. Compagno (pers. com.) confirmed this speculation and, after viewing an image of these specimens (FIG. 9), went on to suggest that fetal teeth may be present as well.

Small rostral teeth with a convex posterior basal edge (?Anoxypristis) have not been illustrated (only 4 examples were present, and all lacked enameloid -- deemed to be in poor condition). On the other specimen's posterior edge, the "cusp" was convex and the base, straight (q=8) or concave (q=5) base. At this time, the author considers this group to represent a single species (Pristis cf lathami). Those teeth with poorly developed bases probably represent fetal rostral teeth, and the others, derived from neonates.

Fig. 9 - cf Pristis lathami Neonate and ?fetal rostral teeth
A - Neonate - 11.4 x 2.0 x 4.2 mm
B - ?Fetal - in socket, tooth 6 mm
C - ?Fetal - 8.2 x 1.3 x 2.7 mm
D - Neonate - 9.4 x 1.4 x 3.4 mm
Fig. 10 - Pristis cf lathami
?Juvenile rostral tooth, neonate cusp present
23.6 x 3.1 x 7.1 mm Potapaco Member, Nanjemoy Frm, Virginia
from the collection of Mike Folmer

Rostra

In addition to rostral teeth, complete or fragmentary rostra are found. The calcified cartilage, alveoli and internal channels can be clearly seen in the below image of a Castle Hayne specimen.

Fig. 11 - Pristis sp rostrum fragment
length = 12.0, width = 8.5 cm
Castle Hayne Formation, North Carolina
from the collection of Kim Greene

Nanjemoy Discussion

Having had the opportunity to review a large number (50+) of pristid teeth from Potapaco Bed B, I tender the above Anoxypristis identification with less than full confidence. There are undoubtedly two (or more) pristids in the fauna, and one is Pristis cf lathami. Another taxa is represented by teeth that bear the paleontological identification of Anoxypristis. Part of the difficulty is determining the key characteristics to employ. The "channeled" vs "convex" posterior edge seems simple enough, but the tooth designs bearing convex posteriors when small, tend to become straight (and even weakly concave, FIG, 4C) as the tooth gets larger. Another specimen (FIG, 7C) has all the characteristics of Pristis but the posterior face is flat and not concave.

Compagno (pers. com) noted that in extant sawfishes, the rostral teeth of Pristis tend to be much more deeply rooted than those of Anoxypristis. Applying this insight to the isolated fossil teeth requires a dependence on two unverified conclusions: 1) the portions of the tooth imbedded in the socket have no enameloid coating and 2) once emerged, and prior to abrasive wear, the teeth bear a thin enameloid covering. Only a few of the studied specimens were in a condition that would reflect these characteristics, and those thought to be Pristis had greater non-enameloid bases than those ascribed to Anoxypristis. Of greater diagnostic value was a coincidental observation; anterior and posterior basal tooth edges are roughly parallel in Pristis but flare basally in the other tooth design -- a characteristic that can be evaluated in most specimens.

Although the depth to width ratio of the rostral tooth's base is relevant, the length has been deemed of little value. The continually growing rostral teeth may be lost or broken during life which could allow a rostrum to bear teeth of significantly different sizes when regrowth occurs.

It is the author's current opinion that only a single species of Anoxypristis should be attributed to the Potapaco fauna -- differences are attributable to ontogenetic variations, functional wear and/or tooth position. Included within this genus are those teeth with a relatively sharp posterior edge and those with a nearly straight to gently concave edge. Anoxypristis teeth tend to be more dorso-ventrally compressed (2.75:1) than those of Pristis. The growth bands are quite strong on these rostral teeth and may appear ornamented when intersected by the apico-basal ridges.