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Sturgeon

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A picture of the endangered fish species Scaphirhynchus suttkusi, also known as the Gulf sturgeon, shown against a white background.

Meet the Sturgeon

Sturgeons are a special group of fish with 27 different kinds. They have been around for a very long time, with fossils from the Late Cretaceous period. These fish live in rivers, lakes, and coastlines across Eurasia and North America.

Sturgeons look quite unique. They have long bodies without scales, but instead, they have five rows of bony plates called scutes along their sides. Many species can grow very big, usually between 2 to 3.5 meters long.

These fish are easy to recognize because they have flat noses and tough plates called scutes instead of regular scales. They also have four special sensing organs called barbels in front of their mouths, which they use to find food on the river bottom.

Sturgeons are important to humans because their eggs are used to make caviar, a special food many people enjoy. People have taken too many sturgeons for their eggs, so now many kinds of sturgeons are in danger. Groups around the world work hard to help save sturgeons by studying them and protecting their homes.

Images

Fossil of Yanosteus longidorsalis, an ancient fish from the Cretaceous period.
An artistic illustration of a coelacanth, a fascinating fish that lives deep in the ocean.
A detailed scientific drawing of the Senegal bichir fish from a classic 1828 zoology book by Georges Cuvier.
A paddlefish swimming underwater, showing its unique long snout and gentle appearance.
A bowfin fish, a unique species of fish known for its spiky dorsal fin.
A common carp fish, a popular species found in many freshwater habitats.
Illustration of a sturgeon fish, Acipenser sturio.
An illustration of the paddlefish, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, from a scientific book about Illinois fishes.
Illustration of an Atlantic Sturgeon, a large fish found in coastal waters, from a 1970s scientific artwork.

Related articles

Late Cretaceous
Eurasia
North America

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Sturgeon, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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