Sturgeon with a long snout. Sturgeon species of fish

Beluga (Huso huso) Description: Beluga (Huso huso) is the most big fish found in fresh waters, since in some cases it reaches a length of several meters and a weight of up to 1120, and in former times more than 1600 kg. In addition to size, Beluga (Huso huso) is easily distinguished from all others. sturgeon fish with its thick cylindrical body and short […]

Kaluga (lat. Huso dauricus) - freshwater fish Beluga genus, sturgeon family. Length up to 5.6 m, weighs up to 1 ton. The mouth is large, lunate. Kaluga is widespread in the Amur basin, occurs in Argun and Shilka, and is found in Sungari. It does not enter the sea beyond the Amur Estuary. There are anadromous, estuary, fast-growing kaluga, rising for spawning into the Amur from the estuary, […]

Shovel (lat. Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus) - River fish weighing up to 2-3, rarely up to 4.4 kg and up to 60-90 cm long, rarely up to 130 cm; characterized by a very long flattened caudal peduncle, dressed like a shell, bone plates; the caudal filament, in contrast to pseudoshovelnose, is absent or small; the swim bladder is large, the eyes are small. Spreading. Amu Darya and its tributaries from Fayzabad-kala […]

Sturgeon (lat. Acipenser) is a genus of fish of the sturgeon family. Freshwater and anadromous forms. Body length - up to 3 m; weigh up to 200 kg (Baltic sturgeon). There are 16-18 species, of which some are listed in the Red Book. Contents [remove] Genus Acipenser The genus Acipenser is characterized by the following features: longitudinal rows of bony scutes do not merge with each other on the tail; there are spray holes, […]

Sterlet is a fish of the sturgeon family. Body length up to 125 cm, weighs up to 16 kg (usually less). Among other sturgeons, it is distinguished by the earliest onset of puberty: males first spawn at the age of 4-5 years, females - 7-8 years. Fertility 4-140 thousand eggs. Spawns in May, usually in upper riverbeds. Caviar is sticky, deposited on stony-pebble soil. She is […]

Domain - Nuclear (Eukaryota)

Kingdom - Animals (Metazoa)

Type of - Chordates (Chordata)

Subtype - Cranial (Craniata)

Superclass - Jaws (Gnathostomata)

Class - Ray-finned (Actinopterygii)

Detachment - Sturgeons (Acipenseriformes)

Family - Sturgeons (Acipenseridae)

Genus/Species - Sturgeons

All species of sturgeons are listed in the International Red Book, and sterlet, thorn and - in the Red Book of Russia. Now the issue of a complete ban on international trade in sturgeon and sturgeon caviar is being resolved.

Sturgeon - special group fish of the world. These are inhabitants of the relatively cool waters of Europe, Asia, North America and adjacent seas. Distributed exclusively in the northern hemisphere. They are not in the tropics. Among sturgeons there are sedentary freshwater fish, but most are anadromous, that is, the fish grows and lives in the sea, and enters rivers to spawn. They do not spawn in the sea. Sturgeons spawn only in clear waters rivers where the pebbly bottom is washed fast current. Fry of migratory fish in the rivers do not linger for a long time and roll into the sea. The only downside is very late dates maturity: from 4-7 years in sterlet, up to 12 - 17 - in the rest. Most sturgeons feed on bottom organisms - worms, mollusks, crustaceans. large species In addition, they feed on fish. There are only 6 species of sturgeon in the fauna of Russia. In addition to the giant beluga, there are also sterlet, stellate sturgeon, spike, Atlantic and Russian sturgeon. Of these, the sterlet is the only sedentary species and the smallest (usually less than 1 m long, weighing less than 2 kg). Previously, it was found in most rivers of the country. Russian sturgeon, stellate sturgeon and spike often exceed 2 m. Atlantic sturgeon, reaching a length of 3 m and weighing more than 200 kg, only occasionally gets into fishing nets. Previously, it was distributed throughout Europe, but now spawning grounds have been preserved only in Georgia on the Rioni River.

Sturgeon fish for black caviar. Video (00:00:11)

Exotarium of St. Petersburg - Sturgeons. Video (00:01:11)

Sturgeons and salmons / sturgeon and salmons. Video (00:01:35)

Cultivated fish in the Ryazanovsky fish-breeding plant of Primorsky Krai

The largest sturgeon farm (ARMENIA). Video (00:15:16)

Trout and sturgeon fish farm in Armenia

Obtaining black caviar from sturgeons (AZERBAIJAN). Video (00:02:43)

Obtaining black caviar from sturgeon fish (AZERBAIJAN)

Schönbrun Zoo. Sturgeon. Video (00:00:16)

Cultivation of sturgeons in the USSR. Video (00:18:35)

By order of the Central Research Institute of Information and Feasibility Studies of the Fisheries of the USSR.
Nizhne-Volga newsreel studio. Director: A. Sofin. 1971

Obtaining black caviar from sturgeons. Video (00:00:09)

Akva Agro sturgeon breeders milk sturgeon fish by cutting the oviduct. The process of decanting caviar is carried out by a sturgeon breeder with 30 years of experience in working with sturgeon fish

Obtaining sturgeon larvae. Video (00:00:49)

Akva Agro sturgeon breeders successfully incubated Siberian sturgeon caviar, and obtained a sturgeon larva. Shooting is carried out on March 18, 2014 on a compact RAS built in Latvia on two floors according to the project of Vasily Krasnoborodko in 2010. This is a video of the first floor.

The sturgeon family belongs to valuable commercial species, the meat and caviar of which is distinguished by excellent taste. Team members have ancient origin, there is evidence of their existence in Cretaceous- more than 75 million years ago. AT recent times as a result of negative factors associated with human activities, their numbers are significantly reduced. Therefore, a large commercial fish of the sturgeon family is listed in the international Red Book.

General characteristics of the sturgeon family

Sturgeon fish live in water basins northern hemisphere - in Europe, North America and North Asia. The order is subdivided into anadromous and freshwater species. Representatives of anadromous species migrate to spawn from salty seas into the rivers. Spawning occurs in the spring and summer, some species enter the rivers in autumn to overwinter.

Fish of the sturgeon family are among the most large inhabitants aquatic fauna, for example, beluga can reach a length of 4 m and weigh more than a ton. Sturgeons are distinguished by a long life expectancy: beluga can live for about 100 years, sturgeon - about 50, stellate sturgeon - 30, and sterlet - 20 years. Puberty

Zooplankton - food for young sturgeons

individuals also occurs quite late: in females, this age occurs no earlier than at 10-15 years, in males - at 10-12 years. Only sterlet and shovelnose reach sexual maturity earlier. Moreover, the same individual does not spawn every year, and breeds only a few times during life cycle.

The diet of sturgeons is animal food: molluscs, worms, insects, and other fish. They prefer to stay and hunt at the bottom of reservoirs. Anadromous species of sturgeon, going for spawning, practically does not feed during this period. Females are distinguished by high fecundity - an adult large individual can lay several million eggs.

The most common species of the sturgeon family include:

  • Sturgeon - Atlantic, Pacific, Russian, Persian, Amur, Siberian;
  • Beluga;
  • Kaluga;
  • Shovelnose;
  • stellate sturgeon;

In addition to the main species, there are various hybrids resulting from crossing in spawning grounds. All sturgeons are similar in appearance, their body resembles an elongated spindle. The head is covered with small bone shields, the muzzle is elongated in the form of a shovel or cone. The mouth with fleshy lips can be extended, under it there are 4 antennae, teeth are absent. Sturgeons do not have vertebrae, the basis of the skeleton is only a cartilaginous chord, which persists throughout life.


Sturgeon breeding

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Sturgeon - a brief overview of the representatives of the family

There are 17 species of sturgeon, some of the fish belonging to this family are on the verge of extinction. Sturgeon is a valuable commercial fish, average weight fluctuates between 10-20 kg. The most big fish according to archaeologists, it weighed 2 centners and reached a length of 3 meters. Today, individuals weighing about 100 kg come across, they can be found in the Black Sea basin. Sturgeon is classified as a bottom fish, it can live at a depth of 2 to 100 meters. Inhabits lakes, rivers, seas.

Atlantic sturgeons, which can be found in the Black Sea, are among the largest anadromous species. This valuable commercial fish reaches 3 meters in length and can weigh over 200 kg. Unfortunately, today its population is significantly reduced, so the experience of artificial cultivation is practiced. The fish is characterized by high growth rates and high fecundity of females. They go to the rivers to spawn, after which they immediately roll into the sea, feeding mainly on anchovy.

In terms of numbers, Russian sturgeons are in the first place, which are caught in the Black and Seas of Azov as well as in the Caspian. The caviar of this fish is inferior in value only to beluga. It is actively mined in the Kura, on the Volga, in the Danube. The diet of Russian sturgeons includes shellfish, shrimps and crabs. For spawning from the Caspian they go to the Volga and the Danube, from the Black Sea - to the Dnieper and Danube, from the Azov - to the Don. Sturgeon fry can stay in the river for 1-2 years, although the main part goes to the sea.

The Siberian sturgeon is classified as an impassable species. It does not need to live salty water, than fish breeders in captivity began to actively use. Sturgeon populates Siberian waters, for spawning rises along the mouth of the river for many kilometers. The Siberian sturgeon is divided into 4 subspecies:

  • West Siberian - found in the Ob and the Irtysh;
  • East Siberian - inhabits the rivers of Siberia from the Yenisei to Khatanga;
  • Yakut - lives in the rivers of Yakutia from Khatanga to Kolyma;
  • Baikal;

Beluga and Kaluga are the largest representatives of the sturgeon family

Beluga is the largest fish in the sturgeon family, it can grow up to 5 m in length, and reach more than a ton in weight. Life expectancy is also the longest - 100 years. There are known cases of catching fish aged 70 years, their weight was more than 1 ton, and their length was 4-5 meters. Lives in the Caspian, Black and Azov seas, very rarely found in the Adriatic.

Beluga is a migratory fish, and the most prolific of all - the female spawns over 7 million eggs. The commercial weight of fish today depends on the place of catch: in the Volga basin it is 70 kg for males and 125 kg for females. In the Urals, the average commercial weight of the beluga is slightly less - 40-60 kg for males, 60-100 kg for females.

Beluga meat is slightly tougher than other sturgeons. Excellent for balyk products, the caviar of this fish is of excellent quality, the size of a pea. The number of beluga has now fallen sharply as a result of predation by poachers. Its population is maintained in fish hatcheries. In nature, it crosses with other sturgeons, forming hybrids.

Kaluga is the largest representative of sturgeon living in fresh water. Lives in the waters of the Amur. Very voracious, so it grows quickly. In the first 10 years of life, every year it grows by 10 cm and gains weight by 10 kg. It can live 80 years, reaching a mass of 1000 kg and 6 m in length. There are two types of beluga:

  • Firth - goes to spawn in the estuary (shallow bay at the confluence of the river into the sea);
  • Sedentary - always remains in the riverbed, lives apart in small groups;

Spawning begins at the end of spring, puberty in females does not occur before 16 years. After spawning, the individual loses a third of its weight, the next time spawning will be repeated only after 5 years. Kaluga is a predator, young fry quickly switch to feeding on small fish. Adult fish prefer larger prey, literally sucking it in with water. Kaluga is classified as an endangered species of sturgeon, therefore it is listed in the international Red Book.

Sterlet - a small representative of the sturgeon order

The sterlet differs from its relatives not only in its smaller size, but also in its elongated narrow nose. The geography of habitat is extensive: rivers of the basins of the Azov, Caspian and Black Seas, rivers Northern Dvina, Yenisei, Ob, Irtysh. It was able to get into the Ladoga and Onega lakes, was released and took root in the Western Dvina, Neman, Onega, Pechora-Amur, Oka and in a number of reservoirs.

The average length of a commercial sterlet is 40-60 cm, weight is within 0.5-2 kg. Sterlet is distinguished from relatives by earlier puberty, females begin spawning at the age of 7-8 years. This fact makes it an attractive object for breeding in fish farms.

The sturgeon family is the most valuable commercial species fish, which in the old days were served at the royal table. But poor ecology and poaching lead to a rapid reduction in its numbers. Therefore, today it is widely practiced to breed fish in special reserves for further release into the natural environment.

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Video: Sturgeon war

Sturgeon is a fish that represents the sturgeon family. It can be semi-anadromous, freshwater or anadromous. This is one of the most valuable fish, the size of which can reach several meters and weigh several centners: the photo below shows the largest sturgeon caught in the Baltic Sea.

Varieties

Sturgeon in its family has 19 various kinds which outwardly resemble each other. In the past, several dozen species could be counted, but most of them became extinct due to overfishing by humans. For the angler, the most interesting are:

  • Atlantic sturgeon - a marine representative that lives in salt waters Atlantic Ocean, passing form;
  • Baikal sturgeon, which is a semi-anadromous form;
  • Lena sturgeon - residential form;
  • Amur sturgeon - residential form;
  • White sturgeon, whose photo you can see below the list.

From the name it is clear that such fish as the Amur sturgeon and Lena sturgeon are found in the Amur and Lena rivers, respectively: they are located on the territory of our country. The Baikal sturgeon is found in Lake Baikal, and the Atlantic sturgeon, like the white sturgeon, is found in the ocean and swims in the rivers only for breeding. Moreover, fish, regardless of its form, can only breed in fresh water - in rivers. Therefore, the White sturgeon, together with the Atlantic sturgeon, the photo of which is presented just below, rises into the rivers of Canada. Baikal sturgeon, Lena sturgeon and Amur sturgeon remain in place, as they already live in fresh waters, although they can also rise from the lake along streams and rivers.

The Atlantic sturgeon is a species that needs special attention. This Atlantic sturgeon deserved the fact that it is the most massive and largest representative of the sturgeon family. The Atlantic sturgeon is found in the waters of the Northern and Baltic Sea. This species is already listed in the Red Book as a species on the verge of extinction. The maximum recorded age to which the Atlantic sturgeon can live is a hundred years, while its body weight can reach 4 centners (according to some reports, even 800 kilograms), and its body length is 6 meters.

It happens aquarium view sturgeons. This is a small fish, the length of which does not exceed 18 centimeters. Aquarium view in appearance - almost like the Atlantic sturgeon, only very small. Compare the photo above, which shows the Atlantic sturgeon, as well as the photo below, where the photo shows an aquarium view. The only difference is that aquarium fish have fewer white spots on their bodies.

Lifestyle

This genus of sturgeon has special features that are unique to him. The signs are that on the tail the rows of bone scutes and scutes located longitudinally do not merge with each other. The rays belonging to the caudal fin wrap around the end of the tail. The fish has specific splashes.

Most of the representatives of the sturgeon family, which reach truly giant size, live in the north of the temperate climate zone. It is there that anglers manage to catch their record specimens, which remain the most important trophy for years. The main part of sturgeon is an anadromous form of fish, which in the spring begins to rise up the river from the seas. In such cases, the fish often remain overwintering until the next spawning season. Separate types are freshwater, and freshwater fish live either in lakes or in rivers: from the lake, it rises up rivers and streams, like anadromous species.

The genus is distributed throughout Eurasia, as well as in the waters of North America. The most extensive habitat belongs to the American, or Atlantic sturgeon species: it is found both in European reservoirs and in American ones. But it is believed that in European rivers individuals of this species swim by pure chance. But, according to some sources, normally fish should be found both in Europe and in America, since this is the habitat.

These representatives of the ichthyofauna try to stay mainly near the bottom surface. The fish feeds like a predator: worms, mollusks and fish are eaten. aquarium fish belonging to the sturgeon family can also attack fish, so cohabitants in the aquarium must be chosen very carefully. Small fish will certainly become prey, and too large fish will be competitors in the food chain.

Sturgeon spawning occurs in summer and autumn: it is different for everyone, and the spawning period is quite extended in time. During the spawning period, he does not feed: in the abdomen of the female there is caviar, the mass of which is about a quarter of the mass of the individual itself. Fertility sturgeon females is very large: in one individual, several million eggs come out for one spawner, but this does not save most species from extinction. This is due to the fact that a person imprudently catches them: in the photo, poachers produce black caviar. The world stock of sturgeons is concentrated in the Caspian Sea: 90% of the total live there.

Thus, sturgeons are so valuable fish that she suffers from this, being today on the verge of extinction. Nutritious, delicious, tender meat, almost boneless, worthy of a truly royal table. What can we say about black caviar, which is superior in value and nutritional value to red caviar.

In the article I will consider the habitat of sturgeon fish. I will list the features appearance, body structure. I will name popular valuable representatives families. I’ll tell you what they look like, where the beluga, sterlet, kaluga, sturgeon and others live.

The habitat of individuals of the sturgeon family is the northern hemisphere of the planet (water bodies of North America, Eurasia). The commercial underwater inhabitant is valued for taste qualities meat, caviar.

Some representatives are called anadromous: they migrate for spawning, wintering from the seas, oceans to freshwater rivers, then go back. In the family, semi-anadromous (moving to the mouths of rivers), freshwater species are also distinguished.

They hunt at the bottom of the reservoir (habitat depth from 2 to 100 m).

Omnivorous - they eat worms, molluscs, crustaceans, and insect larvae. The smallest representatives (sterlet) reach a meter size, weight 5 kg. Sturgeon giants (beluga) grow up to 6 m in length. Weight about one and a half tons.

Centenarians reach sexual maturity by 10-12 years. They spawn several times in their lives - usually after 2-4 years.

Appearance is similar in different breeds of sturgeon. The body is elongated. The head is protected by strong bone shields.

Different types of sturgeon belong to the same family, but differ in the shape of the snout (xiphoid, elongated, short pointed-conical). Mouth toothless, slit-like or semilunar.

The main engine (caudal fin) is unequal, covered with scales in the shape of a rhombus.

What are the features

The oldest inhabitant of the planet Earth has a number of any features. We list them in the form of a list:

  • base of the skeleton cartilaginous notochord, not the spine;
  • the dorsal fin is located far from the head;
  • larvae develop for a long time, feeding on the substances contained in the yolk sac;
  • front beam pectoral finthorn;
  • along the body (on the back, belly, sides) there are rows of large pointed outgrowths. Between them, the animal is covered with small bone tubercles, grains.

Consider the valuable populations of the family.

List of the most popular species and their names

Due to human intervention in the habitat of fish, the demand for tasty meat, expensive caviar, the population of the sturgeon family is sharply declining. Some representatives are listed in the Red Book. What else is known about famous predators- we will tell in the form of a list with names.

The size is the third largest after the beluga, kaluga. Genus anadromous, semi-anadromous, freshwater. Dimensions reach six meters in length, 800 kg (white sturgeon). Color - shades of grey.


The snout is sharp or blunt, spatulate or conical in shape.

Habitat:

  • Black Sea
  • Azov
  • Caspian Basin (90% of the sturgeon population)
  • coast of North America

They feed on shellfish, crabs, and shrimp. Valuable commercial fish is obtained due to meat, caviar, dorsal string (squeals), swim bladders.

It is successfully kept in volumetric aquariums equipped with powerful filtration, aeration - it loves clean water.

There are Black Sea, Azov, Caspian individuals.

The giant sturgeon differs in size - length up to 6 m, weight up to one and a half tons; life cycle duration is about 100 years. The Adriatic beluga disappeared in the 1970s.

The color is heterogeneous silver-brown, the belly is light. Snout without shields, short, pointed. The mouth is semicircular. The elongated body is covered with bugs, between them there are bone plates.


It feeds on herring, gobies. Predators were caught with baby seals in their stomachs. commercial fish. Meat, caviar, skin, entrails are used. Swim bladders are used to make wine clarification glue.

Like many sturgeons, it interbreeds with other members of the family. Beluga is not kept in an aquarium, the hybrid will get used to a large unheated container.

The largest freshwater sturgeon - up to 5.5 m long, weighing about a ton. Life expectancy up to 55 years. The color is gray-green, heterogeneous. The belly is lighter than the sides and back.

The snout is shortened, pointed, in the form of a cone. The shape of the mouth is a large semicircle. The body is covered with bony plates. Lives in the Amur basin. Rarely found in the coastal zone Sea of ​​Okhotsk. It feeds on chum salmon, pink salmon, minnows.

Cases of cannibalism have been reported.

Meat, kaluga caviar are highly valued. Caught in nets. Not included in the Aquarium.


The smallest freshwater among sturgeons - the length reaches 1.2 m, weight 16 kg. Lives 25 - 30 years. There are individuals of two types - with a sharp or blunt snout. The color is modified in accordance with the habitat.

Most often silver-brown back, light yellow belly. They feed on mollusks, insect larvae, leeches, small fish.

Distributed in the basins of the Black, Azov, Caspian Seas. It is found in the rivers: Ob, Yenisei, Amur, Volga, Don and others.


Artificially bred in lakes, ponds. Commercial fish. The view is included in the International Red Book. Contained in aquariums with clean running water without plants. Grows slowly.

The stellate sturgeon is picky about food.

The representative with the longest flattened snout (about 60% of the head size). Antennae without fringes. The body is covered with rows of scutes, star-shaped plates.

Deep-sea inhabitant of the Black Sea, Caspian, Azov basins. They descend to a depth of up to 100 m. Length is not more than 2 m, weight is less than 80 kg.

Eats:

  • herring
  • gobies
  • crabs
  • shellfish
  • worms

Fishing is prohibited, but this does not stop poachers. Meat, caviar, fish entrails are valued. About 90% of stellate sturgeon is the result of industrial reproduction.

It is kept in a large aquarium with running water.

Majority representatives ancient family sturgeons are on the verge of extinction. Disappearing large underwater inhabitants are hunted in huge quantities to meet human needs. Some species are bred artificially - in factories, in aquariums.