BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE. 87(3):501–512. 2011 htp://dx.doi.org/10.5343/bms.2010.1108 501 Bullein of Marine Science © 2011 Rosensiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami PRISTIOPHORUS NANCYAE, A NEW SPECIES OF SAWSHARK (CHONDRICHTHYES: PRISTIOPHORIDAE) FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA David A Ebert and Gregor M Cailliet ABSTRACT A new species of sawshark, Pristiophorus nancyae sp. nov., is described from eight specimens collected of Mozambique. he new species is the second member of the family Pristiophoridae and irst member of the genus Pristiophorus described from the western Indian Ocean. he new Pristiophorus species can be distinguished from the sympatric occurring six-gilled sawshark, Pliotrema warreni Regan, 1906, most notably by having ive paired gill openings as opposed to six. he new species is distinguished from all other Pristiophorus species by several distinctive characteristics. Most notably, the new species difers by having a very distinctive double row of four to ive conspicuous large pits anterior to the nasal barbels on the underside of its snout. Other distinguishing characteristics include a broad, triangular irst dorsal in with a rear tip that extends behind the pelvic midbases, barbels much closer to mouth than snout tip, two rows of enlarged pits on the underside of the pre-barbel rostrum, ridges on the base of its large lateral rostral teeth, mostly tricuspidate, lat, imbricated lateral trunk denticles, and plain color pattern. he new species is compared to the ive other known Pristiophorus species and a revised key to the genus is presented. he sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes: Pristiophoridae) are a small elasmobranch group with a single family, two genera, and ive or more species (Compagno et al. 2005). his is an unmistakable order, easily distinguishable by its elongated and lattened rostrum edged with slender sharp lateral teeth and a long pair of rostral barbels in front of the nostrils. hese sharks have two dorsal ins, no anal in, a short transverse mouth, and small cuspidate teeth in both jaws. Most species occur in the Indo-West Paciic, except for Pristiophorus schroederi Springer and Bullis, 1960, found in the western North Atlantic. Furthermore, except for Pliotrema warreni Regan, 1906, no other described pristiophorids are known from the western Indian Ocean. Compagno et al. (2005) cite an undescribed species, Pristiophorus sp. D, from the western Indian Ocean and give its range as Mozambique, and possibly Somalia to the Arabian Sea of Pakistan. In June 1994, South Africa’s Marine and Coastal Management R/V Algoa con- ducted an extensive bottom trawl survey for horse mackerel ( Trachurus spp.) be- tween 37 and 517 m along the Mozambique coast. Two species of sawsharks were collected, P. warreni and a dwarf Pristiophorus (= Pristiophorus sp. D of Compagno et al. 2005), on the upper continental slope at depths of 286–517 m. Eight specimens of the new Pristiophorus species and three P. warreni were saved and deposited in the collections of the South African Museum. hese Mozambique Pristiophorus speci- mens possess several very distinctive morphological characteristics that separate it from the ive other known species of this genus. Here we describe this new western Indian Ocean Pristiophorus species. NEW TAXA PAPER