Scaphirhynchus albus (Forbes & Richardson, 1905)
Pallid sturgeon
Scaphirhynchus albus
photo by DeCloux, R.

Family:  Acipenseridae (Sturgeons), subfamily: Scaphirhynchinae
Max. size:  200 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 130 kg; max. reported age: 41 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater, potamodromous
Distribution:  North America: nearly restricted to main channels of Missouri River and lower Mississippi River from Montana to Louisiana in USA.
Diagnosis:  Absence of scalelike scutes on belly; bases of outer barbels usually behind bases of inner barbels (Ref. 86798).
Biology:  Adults inhabit large, deep, turbid river channels, usually in strong current over firm sand or gravel (Ref. 10294, 58490). They feed on aquatic insect immatures, particularly caddisfly larvae, and small fish (Ref. 10294). Threatened due to over harvesting and habitat loss (Ref. 58490). No length type given but assumed to be in TL.
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 08 December 2020 (A2bcde) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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