Country Species Summary

Acipenser sturio Linnaeus, 1758
Family:	Acipenseridae (Sturgeons) , subfamily: Acipenserinae	picture (Acstu_u0.jpg) by Andreoli, R.
Order:	Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes)
Class:	Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name:	Sturgeon
Max. size:	500 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 35387); max. published weight: 400.0 kg (Ref. 556); max. published weight: 120 kg; max. reported age: 100 years
Environment:	demersal; anadromous; pH range: 7.5; dH range: 10 - 20 ; depth range 4 - 93 m
Climate:	temperate; 10 - 18°C; 71°N - 30°N
Global Importance:	fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial
Resilience:	Very low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=7-20; tmax=100)
Distribution:	Eastern Atlantic: Only in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne basin in France and in the Rioni basin in Georgia (Ref. 26160). During its sea phase distributed in the northeast Atlantic Ocean from Bay of Biscay to Scandinavia, the northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco and the Black Sea (Ref. 3397, Ref. 26160, Ref. 51346) Reported from Iceland (Ref. 12462). Previously widely distributed along all the European coasts (Ref. 26334, Ref. 51439). Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna). International trade banned (CITES I, since 29.7.83; CMS Appendix II). Found in Lakes Onega and Ladoga (Ref. 42845). Recent DNA studies using museum specimens revealed that this species co-exists with A. naccarii from the Adriatic Sea to the Iberian Peninsula (Ref. 52173). Several DNA sequence differences were found between individuals of the species from the Gironde River population and from the North and Baltic Seas showing that different populations of A. sturio are genetically divergent (Ref. 82476).
Diagnosis:	Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30-44; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 23-30. Body elongated, pentagonal section (Ref. 51442). Snout moderate with tip narrow and pointed (Ref. 3397). Lower lip not continuous, interrupted at center (Ref. 3397). Four barbels halfway between snout tip and mouth but not reaching the latter (Ref. 3397, Ref. 51442). No scales, but 5 rows of scutes on the body: dorsal 9-16, lateral 24-39 on each side, ventral 9-14 on each side, with dense cross-lines of smaller rhombic plates between the dorsal and lateral rows (Ref. 2196, Ref. 3397, Ref. 40476, Ref. 51442). Dorsal side olivaceous blue with golden tints, flanks light with silvery tints, belly white (Ref. 3397).
Biology:	Amphihaline and potamodromous fish (Ref. 51346, Ref. 51439), frequenting littoral zones (Ref. 2163, Ref. 51439, Ref. 51442). It lives the major part of his live in sea but enters rivers for reproduction (Ref. 30578, Ref. 51442). Juveniles found both in estuaries and in the sea (Ref. 2163). Usually solitary. Becoming rare (Ref. 4537). Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, polychaete worms and small fishes. Eggs deposited on sand or gravel. A long-lived and slow-growing species (Ref. 9988). Utilized fresh and frozen, and also for caviar; eaten steamed, pan-fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). A threatened species, mainly due to bycatch, poaching, habitat degradation (spawning grounds, nursery areas) and physical obstacles to migration (Ref. 26160). Reaches 500-600 cm and maybe live up to 100 years. Sexually mature at an age of 7-9 years. Spawns at depths of 2-10 m over stony bottoms. Females produce 800,000-2,400,000 sticky dark grey eggs which adhere to the stones (Ref. 35388). Also Ref. 40476
Threatened:	Critically Endangered, see IUCN Red List (A2d) , (Ref. 36508)
Dangerous:	harmless
Coordinator:
Main Ref:	Bauchot, M.-L.. 1987. (Ref. 3397)
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Egypt country information
Common names:	[ No common name ]	Ref:
Status:	native	Ref:
Salinity:	freshwater, brackish, marine
Uses:	no uses
Country Information:	www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/eg.html
Occurrences:	Occurrences Point map
Main Ref:	Muus, B. and P. Dahlström, 1978
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Modified: Froese, Rainer

Entered: Froese, Rainer

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Page created by: Eli, 20.10.03, last modified by Eli, 26.06.07

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		(e.g. 9948)		(e.g. cephalopods)
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