Onchopristis (Giant Sawskate) Fossils

Onchopristis , or “giant saw”, is a genus of extinct giant sawskate that lived during the Upper Cretaceous. It had a long, shovel-shaped snout called a rostrum. The saw-like rostrum, lined on both sides with modified tooth-like structures called denticles, were hooked and barbed. This intimidating rostrum, which could reach lengths of 2 meters, would have been used to unearth crustaceans at the bottom of shallow waters, similar to modern day sawfish.