Acipenser oxyrinchus
| Acipenser oxyrinchus | |
|---|---|
 |
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| A. o. oxyrinchus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acipenseriformes |
| Family: | Acipenseridae |
| Genus: | Acipenser |
| Species: | A. oxyrhynchus |
| Binomial name | |
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Acipenser oxyrhynchus Mitchill, 1815 |
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| Subspecies | |
Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi
Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus
Acipenser oxyrinchus is a species of sturgeon.
Acipenser oxyrinchus is a species with two subspecies:
Their main diet includes crustaceans, worms, and mollusks. This species is also known to migrate up the river when it is spawning. This species is also recorded to be near threatened of becoming an endangered species due to dam construction, dredging, dredge spoil disposal, groundwater extraction, irrigation and other surface water withdrawals, and flow alterations. The Acipenser oxyrinchus is native to the countries of Canada and the United States. They can be found in sub-tropical climates and in a marine, freshwater environment.
The Acipenser oxyrinchus can grow to the average length of 14 feet and the average weight of 800 pounds. The lifespan of this species can be around 60 years. The color of the Acipenser oxyrinchus is bluish-black or olive brown with lighter sides and a white belly.
Sturgeon are an anadromous species that live solitarily or in small groups. They migrate upriver in the spring to spawn. Sturgeons tend to inhabit the shallow waters of coastal shelves, coastal and estuarine areas on soft bottom in the sea, and can live down to a depth of 50 meters. Adults are migratory while at sea and will make long migrations to coastal areas, while juveniles will stay in fresh or brackish water until they are between two and five years of age. However, many larvae and juveniles do start to migrate and disperse small distances from their spawning sites.
Sturgeons will migrate upriver to spawn. Sturgeons from the Gulf of Mexico will naturally exhibit spawning migration in the spring. Peak numbers have been observed in March and April, which is when the fish will migrate into the Suwannee River in Florida. Sturgeon will migrate downstream for twelve days, peaking within the first six days. Atlantic sturgeons only need to move a short distance to reach rearing areas. Early sturgeon migrants tend to be nocturnal while later migrants are diurnal. During summer months, sturgeon will remain in localized bottom areas of the rivers. In the late fall, the sturgeon migrate out of spawning rivers and into the Gulf of Mexico.
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Wikipedia