Chondrostei (sturgeons) >
Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) >
Acipenseridae (Sturgeons) > Acipenserinae
Etymology: Acipenser: Latin, acipenser = sturgeon, 1853 (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Lesueur.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 6 - 53 m (Ref. 93286), usually 6 - 34 m (Ref. 93286). Subtropical; 49°N - 28°N, 82°W - 65°W (Ref. 54259)
North America: St. John River in Canada to St. Johns River in Florida, USA.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 50.0, range 45 - 55 cm
Max length : 143 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6866); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 23.0 kg (Ref. 6866); max. reported age: 67 years (Ref. 6866)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 33 - 42; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 24. Snout short, bluntly V-shaped, not upturned at tip. Barbels short (Ref. 7251). Absence of fontanelle and post dorsal shields. Single row of pre anal shields, 6-11 (Ref. 4639). Dorsal shields 7-13, lateral shields 22-34 (Ref. 4639). Blackish viscera (Ref. 37032). Head and back dark, lower surface white (Ref. 37032). Anal fin origin beneath dorsal fin origin (Ref. 86798).
Inhabit river mouths, lakes, estuaries, and bays; occasionally enters the open sea. Feeds mostly at night over soft substrates; juveniles feed primarily on benthic crustaceans and insects, adults prey on benthic crustaceans, insects and mollusks (Ref. 93252). Maximum known age is 67 years for females and 30 years for males. Flesh of good quality; eggs are suitable for caviar (Ref. 3192).
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 7.5 - 25.5, mean 15.6 °C (based on 138 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.39 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.04; tm=14-17; tmax=67; Fec=48,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (86 of 100).
