Japanese sturgeon

The Japanese sturgeon, or Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) is a species of fish in the family Acipenseridae found in the Amur River basin in China and Russia. Claims of its presence in the Sea of Japan need confirmation.[3] The species has 11–16 dorsal, 34–47 lateral, and 7–16 ventral scutes. Their dorsal fins have 38–53 rays and 20–35 anal fin rays. They also have greyish-brown backs and pale ventral sides. The species could reach up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in length, and weight over 190 kg.[4] The species is considered to be critically endangered.[5]

Japanese sturgeon
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acipenseriformes
Family:	Acipenseridae
Genus:	Acipenser
Species:	A. schrenckii
Binomial name
Acipenser schrenckii von Brandt 1869
Synonyms[1][2]
Acipenser baeri schrencki von Brandt 1869 Sturio schrenckii (von Brandt 1869) Acipenser multiscutatus Tanaka 1908

Habitat and ecology

The Japanese sturgeon is benthic. Their main food sources are aquatic insect larvae, bone fish and mollusks. One study suggests that the type of aquatic insect larvae eaten by juvenile Japanese sturgeon depends on the season, where Ephemeroptera larvae are eaten more frequently in Spring and Fall, and Chironomidae larvae are eaten more frequently in Summer.[6] The females mature at 9–10 years of age, and males at 7–8 years. They start to migrate in the autumn. They live for 65 years.[4]

References

1. Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (2017). "Acipenseridae". FishBase version (02/2017). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
2. "Acipenseridae" (PDF). Deeplyfish- fishes of the world. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
3. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). "Acipenser schrenckii" in FishBase. January 2013 version.
4. Description and distribution Archived 10 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
5. IUCN Redlist.org
6. Li, Lei; Zhang, Ying; Zhang, Jinfeng; Ma, Bo (4 May 2020). "Seasonal variation in diet of juvenile Amur sturgeon Acipenser schrenckii in the lower reaches of the Songhua River, Northeast China". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 36 (3): 275–281. doi:10.1111/jai.14041. ISSN 0175-8659.

• Sturgeon Specialist Group 1996. Acipenser schrenckii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 3 August 2007.

Further reading

• Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno and T. Yoshino (1984). The fishes of the Japanese Archipelago. Vol. 1 (text). Tokai University Press, Tokyo, Japan. 437 p. (text), 370 pls.
• Journal Coll. Sci. Imp.Univ.,Tokyo, "23", (7).
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility http://data.gbif.org/species/13576254/. Viewed 27 January 2010.