Acipenser sinensis
The Chinese sturgeon (scientific name: Acipenser sinensis; English name: Chinese Sturgeon) is a bony fish belonging to the family Acipenseridae. Common individuals range in length from 0.4 to 1.3 meters and weigh 50 to 300 kilograms; the largest individuals can reach 5 meters in length and weigh up to 600 kilograms. It is the largest fish in the Yangtze River, hence the title “King of the Yangtze River Fish.” Its body is spindle-shaped, with a pointed head and a long snout. It has four barbels in front of its mouth, which is located on the ventral side and is retractable, able to extend into a tubular shape. The body is covered with five rows of large, hard bony scales: one row on the back, and two rows each on the sides and belly. The caudal fin is heterocercal, and the paired fins have broad bases. The dorsal and anal fins are opposite each other. The pelvic fins are located in front of the dorsal fin, and the base of the fins and caudal fin have spiny scales. The intestine has spiral valves, and the anus and cloaca are located near the base of the pelvic fins. The oviduct opening is far from the ovary.
The Chinese sturgeon is a bottom-dwelling fish with a very narrow diet. It is carnivorous, primarily feeding on small or slow-moving benthic animals. In the ocean, it mainly feeds on fish, followed by crustaceans, and less frequently on mollusks. Juvenile Chinese sturgeon mainly feed on benthic fish of the genera Symplocos and Pupae, as well as krill and clams. They generally stop feeding during the spawning season.
During the summer and autumn seasons, Chinese sturgeon, living in the shallow waters outside the Yangtze River estuary, migrate back to the Yangtze River, enduring a 3,000-kilometer upstream struggle before returning to the Jinsha River area to spawn. After giving birth, once the fry grow to about 15 centimeters, they carry them to the open sea. In this way, generation after generation, they are born in the upper reaches of rivers and grow up in the sea.
The Chinese sturgeon has a long lifespan, reaching up to 40 years. It is a Class I protected wild animal in China and a living fossil, often referred to as the “giant panda of the water.” It is distributed in China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, and North Korea. Its main distribution in China is from the Jinsha River downstream of the Yangtze River to its estuary; it is also occasionally found in other river systems such as the Gan River, Xiang River, Min River, Qiantang River, and Pearl River.
