White sturgeon

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White sturgeon
Young fish

Young fish

Systematics
Class : Ray fins (Actinopterygii)
Subclass : Cartilage organoids (chondrostei)
Order : Sturgeon (Acipenseriformes)
Family : Sturgeon (Acipenseridae)
Genre : Acipenser
Type : White sturgeon
Scientific name
Acipenser transmontanus
Richardson , 1836

The white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus ) is a species of fish from the family of sturgeon (Acipenseridae) and occurs on the Pacific coast of North America from the Gulf of Alaska to the height of Monterey (California) . It was used by humans in the lower Colorado River . It was also bred in Italy and Germany.

features

The white sturgeon reached an average length of 2.10 meters, the largest specimen caught was 6.10 meters long and weighed 816 kg. The highest known age is 104 years. Its color is gray-white to brownish on the upper side, the underside is paler, the fins gray. The lateral row of bone plates consists of 38 to 48 bone plates. The dorsal row of bone plates ends with the dorsal fin. Characteristic for the species are two rows of four to eight bone plates along the center line between anus and anal fin. The four barbels are usually closer to the tip of the rostrum than to the mouth.

Fin formula : dorsal 44–48, anal 28–31.

Way of life

The white sturgeon spends most of its time near the bottom and offshore in the sea. It also goes into estuaries and large rivers, and migrates far up rivers to spawn, including in the Columbia River to Montana basin , probably also in Shasta Lake . Up to a length of half a meter, the fish feed mainly on mosquito larvae , as well as small crustaceans, other insects and molluscs. Larger sturgeons eat fish. They stop feeding before spawning in spring.

Use and endangerment

The meat of the white sturgeon is considered excellent. It is marketed fresh, smoked or frozen, and the eggs are sold as caviar . Until the late 18th century, the swim bladder was used as isinglass and used to make gelatine . The IUCN classifies the species as not endangered. However, it is subject to the protection of the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species, where it is listed in Appendix II.

Like the Russian sturgeon ( A. gueldenstaedtii ), the white sturgeon is parasitized by the White sturgeon epivirus (outdated: White Sturgeon Iridovirus , WSIV).

literature

  • William N. Eschmeyer, Earl S. Herald, Hamann: Pacific Coast Fishes. Peterson Field Guides . Houghton Mifflin, 1983, ISBN 0-395-33188-9 .
  • P. Bronzi, H. Rosenthal, G. Arlati and P. Williot (1999): A brief overview on the status and prospects of sturgeon farming in Western and Central Europe . J. Appl. Ichthyol. 15: 224-227.

Web links

Commons : Acipenser transmontanus  - collection of images, videos and audio files