Sturgeon

Acipenser sturio

Sturgeons belong to one of the oldest living groups of fish, with a history stretching back more than 250 million years. Their skeleton is made mostly of cartilage, and instead of scales, their bodies are protected by five rows of large bony plates. Using four sensitive barbels near the tip of the snout, these bottom-dwelling fish locate food hidden in the mud, which they then suck up with their extendable mouths.

Sturgeons grow very slowly and often do not reproduce until they are more than ten years old, but they can live to a remarkable age. Many species migrate over long distances to reach suitable spawning grounds. Today, numerous sturgeon species are severely threatened by overfishing and habitat loss.