Atlantic Sturgeon and Similar Species
Acipenser oxyrinchus
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Open the appSeveral fish can be confused with Atlantic Sturgeon. Here are the key differences.
Species often confused with {name}
Shortnose Sturgeon
Acipenser brevirostrum
Key differences: The Shortnose Sturgeon has a noticeably shorter, blunter snout, and its barbels are typically closer to the mouth than to the tip of the snout. It is also significantly smaller, rarely exceeding 1.4 meters in length. The scutes are generally less prominent and more numerous in some rows (e.g., more lateral scutes).
Lake Sturgeon
Acipenser fulvescens
Key differences: The Lake Sturgeon is a freshwater-only species found in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin. It has a more rounded snout, and its barbels are typically closer to the mouth than to the snout tip. The scutes are also generally less pronounced and more numerous than in Atlantic Sturgeon.
Green Sturgeon
Acipenser medirostris
Key differences: The Green Sturgeon is found on the Pacific coast of North America. It has a more olive-green coloration, a more pointed snout, and a distinctive row of small, plate-like scutes between the anal fin and the caudal fin, which Atlantic Sturgeon lack.
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