Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45 - 57; Anal soft rays: 23 - 37. Snout moderately long and pointed at tip. Lower lip continuous, not interrupted at centre. Barbels halfway between tip of snout and mouth, reaching the latter. Five rows of scutes, dorsal 11-17, lateral 49-70, but usually 55-56 on each side, ventral 10-16, with no smaller plates between dorsal and ventral rows. Color of back grey, flanks lighter, belly white.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrostei

Order: Acipenseriformes

Family: Acipenseridae

Genus: Acipenser

Species: Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828

Climate Zone

Location

• Europe: Black, Azov, Caspian and Aral Sea, ascending some rivers (Danube up to Bratislava, Volga up to Kazan, Ural up to Chkalov), unknown or very rare in others. On the verge of extinction in its natural range.

Biology

Adults occur in the sea close to shores and estuaries and in deep stretches of large rivers over muddy substrate. Are usually solitary. Juveniles live in shallow riverine habitats (Ref. 59043). Feed on mollusks, amphipods and chironomid larvae. Spawning takes place in strong-current habitats in main course of large and deep rivers on stone or gravel bottom (Ref. 59043) from end of April to June (end of May in Rioni River, Black Sea) (Ref. 3193).

Habitat

freshwater

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Threat to Humans

Harmless