Persian sturgeon

Persian sturgeon ( Acipenser persicus )

The Persian sturgeon ( Acipenser persicus ) is an endangered species of fish in the sturgeon family, which is found in the Caspian Sea.

Features

Within the genus of the Persian interfering part with a length of usually 1.3 to 2 m to the smaller species. The maximum length is described at 2.42 meters. The weight is in adult males between 20 and 30, in females between 30 and 35 kg, the maximum weight is described at 70 kilograms. The muzzle is broad, bulbous and slightly downward. The two pairs of barbels are closer to the tip of the snout than to the mouth from constant, notched his upper lip and the lower lip is split. The body is elongated and slender with variable coloration. The back is usually dark blue gray with pale white to yellowish belly. The bone shields are lighter than the hull and coppery in pups until golden and in adult animals usually pale yellow. The first bone plate of the back row is separated from the head, but often only by a very small distance. Overall, the back row has 7 to 19 blades, the rows along the flanks have 23 to 50 and along the belly 7 to 13 blades. Are often rows of small bones shields between the main rows. Behind the 27 - to 51- rayed dorsal fin are usually two or three rows of small, paired shields, before the 16 - to 35 - rayed anal fin are one or two shields, behind a number from 1 to 3 shields. The arches of the gills Reuse carry 15 to 31 rays.

Occurrence

The Persian sturgeon in the Caspian Sea before coming near the coast and estuaries, where the type is more common in the southern area. For spawning, he wanders into the tributaries.

Way of life

In the sea of ​​Persian sturgeon preferred warmer waters than the similar Russian sturgeon. It feeds on benthic fish, crustaceans and shellfish. During the mating the animals migrate mostly in April-May in the rivers, where they spawn at water temperatures 16-25 ° C. The juveniles migrate in the first year back into the sea, where they remain until puberty. Male plants with 8 to 15 years for the first time on, females 12 to 18 years. The generation time is estimated at 14 years.

Terms and inventory

The Persian sturgeon we used commercially only in Iran for caviar production, with the largest proportion of the catch exposed stocking fish by weight. Since 1960, catches have more than halved. In Russia, the commercial fishing has been banned since 2000. In the IUCN Red List of Persian sturgeon as threatened with extinction ( Critically endangered ) is performed, since the natural stocks have declined sharply due to overfishing and the receipt is probably dependent on stocking today. Apart from the illegal fishing and by-catch losses due to the pollution of spawning grounds is considered as a threat.

Evidence

• Sturgeons and paddlefish