Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43 - 57; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 26 - 35. Gill membranes free from isthmus and broadly connected with each other. Barbels flat, attached on ventral side of snout. Body shields in 5 rows; dorsal shields 10 to 16, lateral 32 to 46 and ventral 8 to 12.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Chondrostei

Order: Acipenseriformes

Family: Acipenseridae

Genus: Huso

Species: Huso dauricus (Georgi, 1775)

Climate Zone

Biology

Adults inhabit rivers and lakes. Adults do not spawn every year but at least every other year. With increasing age, the spawning interval increases to three, four and more years (Ref. 593). Feed on invertebrates in the first year then switch to juveniles of pelagic fishes, e.g., Oncorhynchus keta, at age 3 to 4 yrs., kaluga feed on adult fishes (Ref. 40142).

Habitat

freshwater

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Threat to Humans

Harmless