SPECIES ID / Freshwater Fish of the Fraser Valley

Sturgeon Family (Acipenseridae)

• The last remnants of an ancient form of fish; originated more than 200 million years ago
• 27 species in the world, 2 in British Columbia
• of fish noted for large body size and long life spans
• Lack bones; skeleton is make of cartilage
• Newly hatched sturgeon larvae look more like tadpoles than fish
• They transform into the typical sturgeon body form once longer than 60 to 80 mm

Identification Tips:

• Top lobe of caudal (tail) fin is much longer than bottom lobe
• Mouth on bottom of head
• Four barbels in front of mouth
• Rows of bony plates (scutes) along the back, midway down the sides and on the belly