Pallid Sturgeon and Similar Species
Scaphirhynchus albus
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Open the appSeveral fish can be confused with Pallid Sturgeon. Here are the key differences.
Species often confused with {name}
Shovelnose Sturgeon
Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
Key differences: The Shovelnose Sturgeon is generally smaller, darker in coloration, and has barbels positioned closer to the mouth than to the snout tip. Its caudal peduncle is not fully covered in bony plates and has a distinct filamentous fringe on the anterior margin of the dorsal fin. The snout is also less flattened and more rounded than that of the Pallid Sturgeon.
Lake Sturgeon
Acipenser fulvescens
Key differences: Lake Sturgeon have a conical snout, not flattened, and lack the prominent bony plates on the caudal peduncle. They are generally darker and have a different body shape, lacking the extreme elongation of the caudal peduncle seen in Scaphirhynchus species.
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