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A Comparison of Three Sturgeon Species

Three species of sturgeon are found in Florida: Atlantic sturgeon, Acipsener oxyrinchus oxyrinchus; gulf sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi; and shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum. The three species have a sub-cylindrical body imbedded with an armor of cartilagenous plates or scutes. They have no bony skeleton. They also have no teeth and the upper lobe of the tail is longer than the lower lobe.

Gulf and Atlantic sturgeon have been separated geographically; Atlantic sturgeon occur along the Atlantic coast and gulf sturgeon along the gulf coast. Gulf sturgeon are a subspecies of Atlantic sturgeon and differ from the Atlantic sturgeon in relative head length and pectoral fin length, shape of dorsal scutes, and length and position of spleen. The relative spleen length to fork length is the only statistically reliable characteristic to distinguish between subspecies. Few, if any, Atlantic sturgeon exist in Florida. Gulf and Atlantic sturgeon have also been differentiated geneticially.

The gulf sturgeon is a threatened species and is protected by the Endangered Species Act. Native populations of gulf sturgeon are present in the Suwannee and the Florida Panhandle rivers. Shortnose sturgeon physically differ from the other two species; instead of a protruding snout, shortnose sturgeon have a wider mouth and flattened snout. Shortnose sturgeon are smaller in size than the Atlantic sturgeon and reach sexual maturity at an earlier age. In Florida, shortnose sturgeon are found in the St. Johns River. However, as there are few of these fish, they are endangered. A pilot scale project to determine numbers and potential stock enhancement of shortnose sturgeon is planned for the St. Johns in the summer of 2001.