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Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) >
Acipenseridae (Sturgeons) > Acipenserinae
Etymology: Acipenser: Latin, acipenser = sturgeon, 1853 (Ref. 45335); gueldenstaedtii: Named for Johann Anton Güldenstädt (1745-1781).
Eponymy: Professor Johann Anton Gueldenstaedt (or Güldenstädt) (1745–1781) was a Baltic-German, born in Riga (Latvia), then part of the Russian Empire. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Issue
Acipenser colchicus was described as a subspecies of A. gueldenstaedti, then considered as a subspecies of A. persicus, and is now recognized as a species by some works. On the other end, other works suggest that A. persicus, which is similar to A. gueldenstaedti, is a synonym of the latter. We will wait that the taxonomoic situation gets more clarity before changing the list of valid species, which follows the World Sturgeon Conservation Society one. Check ECoF, IUCN and FAO for more details. Anyway in FishBase, it is possible to retrieve the information under the name that was used as valid in each publication.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 2 - 100 m, usually 10 - 25 m. Temperate; 10°C - 20°C (Ref. 2059); 61°N - 35°N, 26°E - 54°E
Eurasia: Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea basins. Introduced throughout Europe.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 236 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 59043); common length : 145 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3561); max. published weight: 115.0 kg (Ref. 6866); max. reported age: 46 years (Ref. 3561)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27 - 48; Anal soft rays: 16 - 35. Under the name A. g. colchicus. Lower lip not continuous, interrupted at center. Five rows of scutes: dorsal 7-19, lateral 24-44 on each side, ventral 6-13 on each side, with lines of smaller stellate bony plates between the dorsal and ventral rows. Color of back olivaceous grey, flanks lighter, and belly white.
Anadromous and freshwater populations exist. At the sea, it occurs in shallow coastal and estuarine zones. In freshwaters, it inhabits deep parts of large rivers with moderate to swift current (Ref. 59043). Found mainly near the shore over sand and mud. Usually solitary, but swarms when hibernating or during spawning migrations. Occasionally forms schools (Ref. 3241). Feeds on benthic molluscs, crustaceans and small fishes. Spawns on stone or gravel bottom in large and deep rivers with strong current, 1-1.5 m/s (Ref. 59043). Mainly propagated through artificial reproduction.
Under the name A. g. colchicus. Spawns in rivers. Natural spawning not extensive, maintained chiefly by artificial propagation. Enters rivers from April to June (a few in autumn).
Sokolov, L.I. and L.S. Berdicheskii, 1989. Acipenseridae. p. 150-153. In J. Holcík (ed.) The freshwater fishes of Europe. Vol. 1, Part II. General introduction to fishes Acipenseriformes. AULA-Verlag Wiesbaden. 469 p. (Ref. 9953)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
Tools
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