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Photo credit: © Howard Rogillio, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries |
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| Gulf sturgeon are very large bottom oriented anadromous fish. Their snout is elongated and bladelike with 4 barbels (sensory “whiskers”) in front of the mouth. The upper tail lobe is longer than the lower lobe, similar to most sharks. Their back and sides are light brown to dark brown in color, and they are pale underneath. Like most sturgeon, they are characterized by unique arrangements of armored plates along their sides and back, called scutes. The gulf sturgeon has 5 rows of scutes. |
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| Learn More... |
- Conservation Notes: This section includes information on threats to this species, its importance to humans and estuaries and how you can help to protect this species
- Profile: This section includes biological and life history information such as the species description, relatives, size/weight, diet, reproduction information, habitat and range.
- References: This section includes the list of articles and books cited in the information about the species.
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Did you know? Gulf sturgeon can jump six feet out of the water, sometimes injuring unlucky boaters. |
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Type: Fish |
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Diet: Tiny bottom-dwelling invertebrates, crustaceans, and marine worms |
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Average lifespan in the wild: up to 42 years |
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Size: 8 feet (adult female maximum) |
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Weight: 200 lb (maximum) |
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Found in the following Estuarine Reserves: Grand Bay (MS), Weeks Bay (AL) and Apalachicola (FL) |
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Water quality factors needed for survival: Find details about water temperature, turbidity, water flow, salinity, dissolved oxygen at this link. |
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Threats: |
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- Excessive fishing and poaching
- Bycatch
- Water development and dams
- Pollution
- Habitat loss and alteration
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Click map for larger image |
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