Aquarium Reptile Complex (ARC)
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| Scientific Name: Acipenser breviostrum |
| Description: |
| The shortnose sturgeon is the smallest of this family of primitive fish that have made South Carolina waters their homes. They have a blunt, V-shaped nose and rarely exceed 3 feet in length, while the better-known Atlantic sturgeon can reach up to 10 feet. Shortnose sturgeon, like Atlantic sturgeon, live in saltwater and freshwater. They spawn in tidal rivers and feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, finding their food with the soft, fleshy barbs that cause some folks to mistake these rarely seen creatures for a kind of catfish. At Riverbanks Zoo, where a group of shortnose sturgeon live in a tank in the ARC, the sturgeon are fed a gel-based diet made especially for their nutritional needs. |
| Range: |
| Shortnose sturgeon are found along the Atlantic seaboard's coastal waters, estuaries, rivers and bays from maritime Canada to north Florida. |
| Status in the Wild: |
| Shortnose sturgeon are endangered and are included in a recovery plan by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Commercial fishing and pollution of tidal streams and estuaries are the major reasons for their decline. |
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