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Acipenser Stellatus
Synonyms
Acipenser seuruga Gueldenstädt, 1772:533.
Acipenser helops Pallas, 1814:97.
Acipenser ratzenburgii Brand (in Brand and Ratzeburg), 1883,2: 351-352.
Acipenser stellatus donensis Lovetsky, 1834
Helops stellatus Bonaparte, 1846:21.
Acipenser stellatus illyricus Brusina, 1902:60.
Acipenser stellatus stellatus stellatus Berg, 1932:65.
FAO Names
En – Starry sturgeon, Fr – Esturgeon étoilé, Sp – Esturión estrellado.
3Alpha Code: APE Taxonomic Code: 1170100105
Scientific Name with Original Description
Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771-76. Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des russischen Reiches. vol. 1. 1771:12 unnumb. index, + Pls. A-Z, AA-NN. 1:131(Volga at Simbirsk), 285, 292. Ural at Gur’ev, 460 (ascents rivers from the Caspian Sea). St. Petersburg. 3 vols. Reise Russ. Reiches.
Diagnostic Features
Spiracle present. Snout greatly elongated and sword-shaped, usually more than 60 % of the head length. Gill membranes joined to isthmus. Mouth transverse and lower lip with a split in the middle. The barbels are short and no fimbriate, not reaching the mouth but nearer to it than to tip of snout. D: 40-54; A: 22-35 fin rays. 9-16 dorsal scutes; 26-43 lateral scutes; 9-14 ventral scutes. The dorsal scutes have radial stripes and strongly developed spines with the tips directed caudal. Between the rows of scutes, the body is covered by star plates. The body colouration is blackish-brown dorsally and laterally. The belly is light, and the ventral scutes are dirty white coloured.
Geographical Distribution
Caspian, Azov, Black, and Aegean Seas, from which it migrates into the rivers (Shubina et al., 1989).
Habitat and Biology
During the daytime they are often encountered in the upper layer, while at nigth, they are generally found at the bottom.The starry sturgeon inhabits the coastal sea waters (at depths from 100 to 300 m in the Caspian Sea) over clayey or sandy and clayey sediments, and the lowland section of rivers.Feeding habits vary with size, season and specific features of the water bodies (rivers or sea). The younger individuals feed primarily on crustaceans, while fishes (Gobiidae, Caspialosa, and Clupeonella) become more important in the diet as the grey older. Also molluscs, Polychaeta and other invertebrates.
Sexual maturity is reached by males at an age of five or six years. Females mature with an average age of 9.7 years and rarely spawn more than three times in their lives. Enters rivers from April to June with a peak period when the water temperature reaches 10º to 15ºC. Eggs laid on beds of scattered stones, pebbles, gravel and sand. The juveniles stay near the mouth of rivers. Its population is supported by artificial propagation. Spawn from May to September at a water temperature of 12º to 29ºC.
Size
Maximum length of 218 cm (TL) and a maximum weight of 54 kg. They usually range from 100 to 120 cm and 6 to 8 kg.
Local Names
ALBANIA : Bli turigjate .
AUSTRIA : Sternhausen .
BULGARIA : Pastruga .
FINLAND : Tähtissampi .
FRANCE : Esturgeon étoilé .
GERMANY : Sternhausen .
HUNGARY : Söregtok .
ITALY : Storione stellato .
POLAND : Siewruga .
PORTUGAL : Esturjao-estrelado .
ROMANIA : Pastruga .
RUSSIAN FED. : Sevryuga .
SLOVENIA : Jeseter hviezdnaty .
SPAIN : Esturión estrellado .
SWEDEN : Stjärnstör .
TURKEY : Mersin baligi .
UKRAINE : Sevrjuga .
UNITED KINGDOM : Starry sturgeon .
USA : Star sturgeon , Sevruga .
Remarks
See Acipenser gueldenstaedtii.
The starry sturgeon interbreed in its natural habits with Acipenser nudiventris, A. ruthenus and A. gueldenstaedtii.
Published on Mar 09, 2016
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