Acipenser sturio Linnaeus, 1758

Sturgeon

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Actinopterygii \| Acipenseriformes \| Acipenseridae \| Acipenserinae
Synonyms	Acipenser ducissae, Acipenser fitzingerii, Acipenser hospitus, ... more
Common names	Esturgeon commun, Esturión, European sturgeon, ... more

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AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Bauchot, M.-L. 1987. (Ref. 3397)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 500 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35387); common length : 125 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3397); max. published weight: 400.0 kg (Ref. 556); max. published weight: 120 kg; max. reported age: 100 years (Ref. 556)

Environment

Demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; pH range: 7.5 - ? ; dH range: 10 - 20; depth range 4 - 93 m (Ref. 51346), usually 5 - 60 m (Ref. 26160)

Climate / Range

Temperate; 10°C - 18°C (Ref. 2059); 71°N - 30°N, 25°W - 42°E

Eastern Atlantic: Only in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne basin in France and in the Rioni basin in Georgia (Ref. 26160). During its sea phase distributed in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Bay of Biscay to Scandinavia, the northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco and the Black Sea (Ref. 3397, Ref. 26160, Ref. 51346) Reported from Iceland (Ref. 12462). Previously widely distributed along all the European coasts (Ref. 26334, Ref. 51439). Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna). International trade banned (CITES I, since 29.7.83; CMS Appendix II). Found in Lakes Onega and Ladoga (Ref. 42845). Recent DNA studies using museum specimens revealed that this species co-exists with A. naccarii from the Adriatic Sea to the Iberian Peninsula (Ref. 52173).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30 - 44; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 23 - 30. Body elongated, pentagonal section (Ref. 51442). Snout moderate with tip narrow and pointed (Ref. 3397). Lower lip not continuous, interrupted at center (Ref. 3397). Four barbels halfway between snout tip and mouth but not reaching the latter (Ref. 3397, Ref. 51442). No scales, but 5 rows of scutes on the body: dorsal 9-16, lateral 24-39 on each side, ventral 9-14 on each side, with dense cross-lines of smaller rhombic plates between the dorsal and lateral rows (Ref. 2196, Ref. 3397, Ref. 40476, Ref. 51442). Dorsal side olivaceous blue with golden tints, flanks light with silvery tints, belly white (Ref. 3397).

Amphihaline and potamodromous fish (Ref. 51346, Ref. 51439), frequenting littoral zones (Ref. 2163, Ref. 51439, Ref. 51442). It lives the major part of his live in sea but enters rivers for reproduction (Ref. 30578, Ref. 51442). Juveniles found both in estuaries and in the sea (Ref. 2163). Usually solitary. Becoming rare (Ref. 4537). Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, polychaete worms and small fishes. Eggs deposited on sand or gravel. A long-lived and slow-growing species (Ref. 9988). Utilized fresh and frozen, and also for caviar; eaten steamed, pan-fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). A threatened species, mainly due to bycatch, poaching, habitat degradation (spawning grounds, nursery areas) and physical obstacles to migration (Ref. 26160). Reaches 500-600 cm and maybe live up to 100 years. Sexually mature at an age of 7-9 years. Spawns at depths of 2-10 m over stony bottoms. Females produce 800,000-2,400,000 sticky dark grey eggs which adhere to the stones (Ref. 35388). Also Ref. 40476.


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Critically Endangered (CR) (A2d)	Harmless

Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=7-20; tmax=100)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high vulnerability (88 of 100)	Not marketed/unknown

Entered by Luna, Susan M.

Modified by Ortañez, Auda Kareen

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