the order of the sturgeons, that single within the Knorpelganoiden (fish), contains two families, the real sturgeons and the spoon-sturgeons. The biggest freshwater-fish of the earth are found among the real sturgeons. So, it can reach living lengths from over 8 m and weights to 1300 kg. The family is widespread only in the restrained widths of the northern hemisphere; it contains freshwater and traveling-fish.
Physique The long-stretched body, that pointed moved out muzzle (with many types also Spritzlöcher) and a crooked (heterozerke) tail fluke give in the upper part of finishing spinal column as well, sturgeons a shark-similar look. The sheds are reduced to 5 longitudinal-rows of Knochenschilden at backs, sides and stomach. In front of the under-continuous mouth-opening, 4 Barteln stand; the mouth can be before-put like a suction-tube. All remaining fins begin until on the flippers far behind. One distinguishes two subfamilies: The sturgeons i. e. S. (Acipenserinae, a conical, more or less long moved out muzzle-top and jederseits have a Spritzloch (Spiraculum); the types Hausen (Huso) and actual sturgeons (Acipenser) belong to them. The shovel-sturgeons (Scaphirhynchinae) distinguish themselves through a shovel-nicely flattened muzzle and lacking Spritzlöcher.
More usually, baltic or Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser sturio) Water pollution, construction of jam-steps in the rivers and unkind overfishing almost brought the main-supplier of the caviar in its whole spread-area at the edge of the extermination. Originally at Europe's coasts of the black over the Mediterranean and the Atlantic of Iceland as far as to the North-cape including north, and Baltic sea gives a home, this anadrome traveling-fish only climbs middle in few today, and West European rivers (Guadalquivir) Gironde; earlier also in the Rhine until Speyer, to spawning upwards. There are only bigger continuances in the black sea. On the American side of the Atlantic (sometimes severed as own type, Acipenser oxyrhynchus), the sturgeon lives before Newfoundland, in the St.-Lorenz-Strom and before the New England-states.
Way of life This at most 3 m long and 210 kg heavy sturgeon (still, by 1890 will reach from 5-6 m and reports 400 kg heavy sturgeons, who were over 100 years old after sheet metal-markings) spends the main-part of its life in the sea. Male animals reach with 7-9 years, females with 8-14 years the sexually mature and then hikes upstream annually to spawning. As reason-fish, they swim deliberately over the ground along; the beard-threads touch the underground on that occasion and track down the mainly animal food, that is sucked up with the vorstülpbaren mouth-opening. On this occasion, it is about worms, mollusks, cancers and small fish.
Sterlet (of Acipenser Ruth-no time)) As distinct freshwater-inhabitant, this sturgeon-type long until 1 m lives in the influxes of the black and Kaspischen tributary and in Siberia's big streams. it becomes commercially in Don and Wolga because of its meat and the caviar of befisht. One holds Sterlets in Hungary in pond-economies; however, they don't come to the reproduction here. On the occasion of is crossed the Sterlet with the Waxdick or Russian sturgeon (Acipenser queldenstaedti). The bastards, for who also "Delta-Sterlets" is called, are more fast-growing than the exit-forms and make accordingly higher profits.
Further sturgeon-types Beside ordinary sturgeon, Sterlet and Waxdick, the star-sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus, until 2,20 m) and the smooth-sturgeon still live in the black and Kaspischen sea, A. nudiventris, until 2 m. 2 migrant types spawn in Siberia's big streams, 5 further occur at the Asian Pacific-coast. In North America, 4 further types still are known besides the Atlantic sturgeon; 2 at the West coast, of which the big white sturgeon, A. transmontanus, until 4,5 m, noteworthy is; 1 types of the East coast and the red or sea-sturgeon, A. fulvescens, until 2,5 m, a freshwater-inhabitant of the big Canadian seas.
Lives, type Huso) The European living or Beluga (Huso huso) live in the Adriatic as well as in the black and Kaspischen sea as traveling-fish. This giant-fish very frequently was earlier in the Danube and was even caught in Bavaria. The huge size over 8 m with weights until 1,5 t often is dismissed as exaggeration, living of 5 m is after all and 1200 kg busy. The Siberian living (Huso dauricus) gains maximum lengths as freshwater-inhabitants of the Amur by 5 m.
Shovel-sturgeons (subfamily Scaphirhynchinae)) Shovel-sturgeons are freshwater-inhabitants; they has spread no Spritzloch and one, flattened muzzle (the "shovel"). The type Scaphirhynchus occurs in the Mississippi and in influxes of the tributary from Mexico with 3 types while the 3 types of the type Pseudoscaphirhychus live in Asian influxes of the tributary.
Caviar-production To the unkind prosecution of all sturgeons, above all the roe has the spawn-ripens females, who are processed to caviar, contributed. it delivers the best caviar, the "Beluga", to living. A sturgeon of 210 kg of weight delivers caviar approximately 45 kg, a living of 1230 kg even up to 250 kg. That is however rare exceptions; today, heavy sturgeons (ages 10-15 years), who produce caviar 3 - 4 kg, are caught on average 15-18 kg at the Kaspischen sea.
Sea-hare-roes turn into "German caviar", the "industry" - or "technical caviar", that serves as baits at the European Atlantic-coast, from codfish-fish-roes produced. The palatable one "Keta" or "red caviar" is prepared in the USA from the roe of the Pacific Keta-Lachses.
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