black sea red data book - Department of Biology

PART II. ANIMALS
Acipenser gtildenstaedti (Brandt, 1833)
Synonyms: Acipenser giildenstaedti Berg, 1911; Acipenser giildenstaedti var.
colchicus Marti, 1940; Acipenser giildenstaedti colchicus Berg, 1948.
Common names: Engl: Russian sturgeon; Bulg: Ruska esetra; Rom: Nisetru; Russ:
Russkiy osetr. Turk: Karaca; Ukr: Oseter.
Order ACIPENSERIFORMES
Family ACIPENSERIDAE
Taxonomic description. Body subcylindrical and elongate, with large bony scutes
arranged in five rows; one in the middle of the back, one pair on the sides and another
on the belly; a pair of large triangular bony scutes on the isthmus beneath the head;
the mouth, placed beneath the head, is small, transverse and can project as a short
tube; gill membranes joined to the isthmus, thus not forming a free fold; lower lip
interrupted in mid-line of snout blunt and short, barbels on underside of snout do not
reach the mouth and insert on a transverse row nearer to the tip of the snout than to
the mouth; colour of the back and sides variable, from greyish-black to dark green.
Belly whitish. Size: maximum 210 cm; commonly 110-145 cm (males), and 130-170
cm (females).
RJCN Status
World level: listed in appendix II of CITES
Black Sea Regional level: idem
Subregion level: VU
Distribution, Habitat types, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Mainly in coastal
waters of the sea and rivers; enters the Don, Kuban, Dniepr, Danube and rivers of the
Caucasian coasts of the Black Sea. Spends winter in the zone of the Mytilus and
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