Fun Starry Sturgeon Facts For Kids
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The starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is a species of sturgeon fish in the Acipenser genus. This species of fish is native to eastern Europe and western Asia.
This sturgeon fish is also known as a star sturgeon or a sevruga. Sturgeons can be found in many places however their numbers are declining in a rapid manner due to overfishing.
Star sturgeons are one of the most famous commercially cultivated species for their flesh and caviar. The distribution of this species of sturgeons is now restricted to the Black, Azov, and Caspian sea basins.
The population of this fish was also found in the Aegean sea basin but is now locally extinct. If no proper management is taken soon, the distribution of starry sturgeons is expected to vanish soon.
The distribution of the stellate sturgeon is found in the range of coastal waters of the seas and in the lowland sections of rivers. The fish is found in the lower parts of water bodies as well as the upper and middle parts.
This is clearly different from other species of sturgeons that are only found in the bottom of the sea and river systems. The star sturgeon migrates up rivers for the purpose of spawning.
In these river and sea water bodies, starry sturgeons feed mainly on crustaceans, small fishes, worms, and mollusks. They have also many big predators native to these parts of the region.
For more relatable content, check out these rainbow cichlid facts and koi fish interesting facts.
Starry Sturgeon Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a starry sturgeon?
The starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) or stellate sturgeon is a species of sturgeon found in the Caspian, Azov, and Black sea basins.
What class of animal does a starry sturgeon belong to?
A member of the Acipenser genus, the species of starry sturgeon falls under the class of Actinopterygii in the kingdom of Animalia. The fishes belong to the family Acipenseridae.
How many starry sturgeons are there in the world?
The population of this species is not known. However, the numbers are decreasing in a rapid manner and if the population is not stabilized in its native range soon, the starry sturgeon will soon be extinct.
The largest distribution of starry sturgeons is native to the Caspian Sea.
Where does a starry sturgeon live?
The distribution of the starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is found in eastern Europe and western Asia. This fish species is native in the Caspian Sea, Azov Sea, and the Black Sea.
As the species spawn in rivers, the usual spawning grounds are the Ural River, Volga River, Sulak River, Terek River, Don River, Kuban River, Kura River, and the Danube River.
The species has now vanished from the Aegean basins.
What is a starry sturgeon's habitat?
The starry sturgeon habitat consists of all the parts of the water systems, including the upper, middle, and lower parts. This is unlike other sturgeon species.
They are found both in coastal waters of seas and water bodies in rivers. In the coastal areas they are native to, this species is found in depths of 328.08-984.25 ft (100-300 m). This species migrate and travel large distances to feed and spend the winters in the seas, while adults spawn in the rivers.
After spawning, they return to the feeding grounds in the seas. The juveniles also do the same and remain in the seas until they are mature.
Who does starry sturgeon live with?
A starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) usually lives alone or forages in small groups.
How long does a starry sturgeon live?
Sturgeons mature quite late and are one of the longest living fish species in the world. They live for an age up to 50-60 years.
The maximum age of the species found till now is 27 years.
How do they reproduce?
Sexual maturity is reached in males between six to 12 years and in females, maturity is reached between eight to 14 years of age. Adults move to the rivers for spawning. They travel a distance of 43.4-49.7 mi (70-80 km) a day.
Around 15000-30000 eggs are laid by the females. Eggs are deposited on rocks and stones and they hatch after five to seven days. Larvae develop near spawning grounds and move to brackish water thereafter.
Population doubling time is considered to be five to 14 years which is faster than sterlets. However, this population growth is still slower than Siberian sturgeons.
What is their conservation status?
The conservation status of the starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. It is mainly affected by overfishing, habitat loss due to pollution, and the construction of dams. The species is most sought after for its caviar and flesh.
Starry Sturgeon Fun Facts
What does a starry sturgeon look like?
A starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) has 26-43 lateral scutes, 9-14 ventral scutes, 9-16 dorsal scutes, 40-54 dorsal-fin rays, and 22-35 anal fin rays. Scutes are also known as bony plates. The starry sturgeon looks quite similar to a young diamond sturgeon.
The back is bluish-black in color and sometimes brownish-red. The lateral skin is yellow in color and the ventral side of the fish is bright white in color. Yellowish white and white color is seen on the scutes and plates.
The features distinguishing the stellate sturgeon from the Russian sturgeon are the 30-40 scales on the lateral line.
*Please note that this is an image of a sturgeon fish, not a starry sturgeon. If you have an image of a starry sturgeon, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
They are not considered cute.
How do they communicate?
Sturgeons communicate by jumping around. Fishes also communicate chemically and visually.
How big is a starry sturgeon?
The length of a starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) ranges up to 7.2 ft (219.4 cm).
The white sturgeon from the western coasts of the United States and the Pacific Ocean has a range of length between 82.67-240.15 in (2.1-6.1 m).
How fast can a starry sturgeon swim?
An average sturgeon can swim at a speed of 0.96-1.41 mph (1.5-2.2 kph).
How much does a starry sturgeon weigh?
The weight ranges up to 180 lb (81.6 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Males and females of the starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) species are not given different names.
What would you call a baby starry sturgeon?
A baby starry sturgeon is called larvae right after hatching. They are called juveniles or spawn when they grow up a bit.
What do they eat?
The starry sturgeon fish diet includes worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and insect larvae. This fish species also feed on other small fishes.
Are they aggressive?
They are a peaceful species.
Would they make a good pet?
They are not usually considered pets and are only kept in ponds for cultivating meat and caviar. In ponds, they can grow up to a length of 51.18-59.05 in (1.3-1.5 m) and weight of 22.04-33.06 lb (10-15 kg).
However, in the wild, the length is quite long at around 86.61 in (2.2 m) and has a weight of 154.3 lb (70 kg).
Many countries like Russia, the US, Iran, and Italy have tried to adapt this species for breeding and have had little success.
Did you know...
The three most commercially important species for caviar are the stellate sturgeon, Ossetra sturgeon, and beluga sturgeon. The flesh of the starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is considered an expensive delicacy in the Caspian region and many attempts have been made by a lot of countries to replicate the aquaculture of this species of sturgeons.
The starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is not known to kill humans. There are very few cases of sturgeons killing humans with one recorded case till now.
Sturgeons are not known to eat humans. They are a relatively peaceful species.
How the starry sturgeon got its name?
The name starry sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) is given to the species because of the high number of star-shaped plates on the body of the fish.
Do starry sturgeons have scales?
There are 30-40 scales on the bodies of starry sturgeons on the lateral line distinguishing them from Russian sturgeons.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Arctic char facts and bonito fish fun facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable sturgeons coloring pages.
Starry Sturgeon Facts
What Did They Prey On?
Fish, worms, crustaceans, and mollusksWhat Type of Animal were they?
CarnivoreAverage Litter Size?
150000-300000 eggsHow Much Did They Weigh?
Up to 180 lb (81.6 kg)What habitat Do they Live In?
coastal waters in sea and lowland areas in a riverWhere Do They Live?
eastern europe and western asiaHow Long Were They?
Up to 7.2 ft (219.4 cm)How Tall Were They?
N/AClass
ActinopterygiiGenus
AcipenserFamily
AcipenseridaeScientific Name
Acipenser stellatusWhat Do They Look Like?
Bluish black/brownish and red-colored backSkin Type
Wet and slimy scalesWhat Are Their Main Threats?
habitat loss and hunting for flesh and caviarWhat is their Conservation Status?
Critically Endangered
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