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Sturgeons—Family Acipenseridae
- Texas A&M University Press
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1 Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Rafinesque, 1820) RANGE: Red River below Lake Texoma’s Denison Dam. HABITAT: Rivers. Habitat and range have been reduced by the construction of dams. CHARACTERISTICS: (1) Snout shovel shaped. (2) Barbels (4) on the ventral surface of snout. (3) Mouth inferior. (4) Inner barbels more than half the length of outer barbels. (5) Lower lip with 4 lobes. (6) Upper lobe of caudal fin with long filament; some specimens might have filament broken off. (7) Longitudinal rows of bony plates on dorsal and lateral region. (8) Caudal fin heterocercal. DIMENSIONS: Up to 3 ft (914 mm) and 10 lbs (4.5 kg). FIN COUNTS: Anal soft fin rays 18–23; dorsal soft fin rays 30–36. COLORATION: Dorsal and lateral regions brown or gray; ventral region white. COMMENTS: The shovelnose sturgeon was once considered a “trash” fish by anglers, but properly prepared the flesh of shovelnose sturgeon is considered a delicacy and its eggs are highly sought after for caviar. This species is listed by the state as threatened. Sturgeons—Family Acipenseridae Shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, 12 in (305 mm) ...