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Photo credit: University of Maine |
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| Atlantic sturgeon are bluish black or olive brown dorsally with paler sides and a white ventral surface. They have five major rows of dermal scutes. According to Collette and Klein-MacPhee (2002), Atlantic sturgeon can be distinguished from the endangered shortnose sturgeon by their larger size, small mouth, presence of bony scutes between the anal fin base and the lateral scute row. Atlantic sturgeon also have a double row of dorsal scutes behind the dorsal fin, a double row of scutes before the anal fin, and the presence of a pale intestine. |
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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? Like sharks, sturgeons have skeletons largely made of cartilage. |
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Type: Fish |
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Diet: Bottom invertebrates including mussels, worms, and shrimps |
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Average lifespan in the wild: up to 60 years |
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Size: 14 feet (maximum) |
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Weight: 800 lb (maximum) |
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Found in the following Estuarine Reserves: Wells (ME), Great Bay (NH), Waiquoit Bay (MA), Narragansett Bay (RI), Hudson River (NY), Jacques Cousteau (NJ), Delaware, Chesapeake Bay (MD and VA), North Carolina, N. Inlet-Winyah (SC), ACE Basin (SC), Sapelo Island (GA), and Guano Tolomato Matanzas (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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- Fishing
- Bycatch
- Estuarine and freshwater habitat degradation
- Locks and dams
- Dredging
- Water Quality
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Click map for larger image |
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