©Andi Hartl

Siberian sturgeon

D-Sibirischer Stör; GB-Sibirian sturgeon; DK-Sibirisk stør; PL-Jesiotr syberyjski; EST-Siberi tuur; RU-Сибирский осётр; FIN-Siperiansampi; S-Sibirisk stör

Characters

1) snout rather long (distance from tip of snout to the eye about equal long than from the eye to the end of the operculum).
2) lateral scutes rather small.
3) no denticles between dorsal and lateral scutes.
Up to max. 2 m length.

Similar species

Atlantic sturgeon - denticles between dorsal and lateral scutes.

Danube sturgeon - snout short; denticles between dorsal and lateral scutes.

Sterlet - barbels with ramificaitons.

Biology

Native in deeper areas of larger river systems from north Russia and Siberia. Males become sexually mature with 11 to 24 years while females need 20 to 28 years. There are stationary as well as migrating populations.

Diet

They feed on bottom living organismen like crustaceans and mosquito larvae.

Importance

Commercially important as food fish and for production of caviar; to some extent raised in aquaculture.

Endangerment

Not endangered in the Baltic Sea, because the species is not native.