Sterlet

Physical Characteristics

Elongated, spindle-shaped body with a shark-like heterocercal tail. Notable for having five rows of bony plates (scutes). It has a narrow, pointed snout and four fringed barbels located closer to the snout than the mouth. Coloration ranges from grayish-brown to dark gray on the back, with a light white or yellowish belly.

Habitat & Distribution

Primarily lives in large rivers and their tributaries, preferring deep, fast-flowing water with rocky or gravelly substrates. It is native to rivers flowing into the Caspian, Black, Azov, Baltic, White, Barents, and Kara seas.

Size & Weight

Typically ranges from 40 to 100 cm in length and weighs between 1 and 6 kg. Maximum recorded size is approximately 125 cm and 16 kg.

Similar Looking Species

Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso) - much larger with a wider mouth; Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) - has shorter barbels and different scute counts; Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) - lacks the white margins on the fins and scutes often seen in sterlets.

Ecological Role

A bottom-dwelling benthivore that feeds on insect larvae, crustaceans, and small mollusks. They play a role in nutrient cycling within riverbeds. The species is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss, pollution, and dam construction.

Identified on: 1/2/2026

Mode: Standard