Pallid sturgeon

The pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) is a sturgeon from the genus Scaphirhynchus. This sturgeon is found in the Missouri River and lower Mississippi River basins.

It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN probably due to a few individuals in the wild. There have been conservation efforts to save the sturgeon from going completely extinct.

Etymology

The word pallid means "being pale in color", much like in humans. The species name albus means "white" in Latin.

Description

Characteristics

Pallid sturgeons can typically reach 30 and 60 inches (76 and 152 cm) long. They have a heterocercal tail. They're usually called "dinosaur-like" or "hideous". Just like most sturgeons, they have a series of plates called scutes.

They do not have bony skeletons, but they do have a cartilaginous skeleton. This soft tissue can even spread out to the dorsal fin to the tail. They are sometimes confused with the shovelnose sturgeon.

DNA studies

Scientists conducted DNA analysis on these sturgeons to know the differences between pallid and shovelnose.

Ecology

Habitat

The pallid sturgeon lives in the Missouri River and prefers wider river channels.

Depths

These sturgeons can stay between 3 and 25 ft deep. However, a study showed that the pallid sturgeon was recorded to stay between 2 and 47 ft deep.

Related pages

References

Jordan, G.; Nelson-Stastny, W. (2022). "Scaphirhynchus albus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.