Sawfishes, also known as carpenter sharks, are an order  (Pristiformes) of rays characterized by a long, narrow, flattened rostrum, or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged so as to resemble a saw. Several species of sawfishes can grow to about . The family as a whole is largely unknown and little studied. The Pristidae are the only living family within the order Pristiformes, whose name comes from the .