FISHK'S OF .\K\V VullK. ("' 



Mode of capture. The lish arc generally caught by seining. 



Edible qualities. The flesh of the paddlefish is frequently con 

 sidered tough and sharklike, but individuals of 8 or 10 pounds 

 are skinned, and sold in some of the western markets freely, 

 and are thought by some persons to be fairly good for the 

 table. 



Order CHON i m< >STEI 



Sturgeons 

 Family ^XCIF-ENSERIDAE 



Sturgeons 

 Genus ACIPEXSER Linnaens 



Body elongate, snbcylindric, armed with five rows of bony 

 bucklers, each with a median keel terminating in a spine w r hich 

 becomes obsolete with age; a median dorsal series of bucklers, 

 and a lateral and abdominal series on each side, the abdominal 

 series sometimes deciduous; between these the skin is rough 

 with small, irregular plates. Head covered with bony plates 

 joined by sutures; snout produced, subconic; spiracles present; 

 mouth small, inferior, protractile, with thickened lips; no teeth; 

 gill rakers lanceolate; four barbels in a transverse series on the 

 lower side of the snout in front of the mouth; eyes small; nos- 

 trils large, double, in front of eye ; gills four ; an accessory oper- 

 cular gill; gill membranes united to isthmus; pseudobranchiae 

 small or obsolete; no branchiostegals; maxillary distinct from 

 the premaxillary; fin rays slender, all articulated; vertical fins 

 with fulcrum s; pectorals placed lo\v; A'enirals many-rayed, be- 

 hind middle of body; dorsal placed posteriorly; anal somewhat 

 behind dorsal, similar; tail heterocercal,the lower caudal lobe de- 

 veloped; the tail not depressed or mailed; air bladder large, sim- 

 ple, connected with the esophagus; stomach without blind sac; 

 rectum with a spiral valve; pancreas divided into pyloric ap- 



pendages. (After Jordan and Evermann) 



i 



35 Acipenser sturio Linnaeus 



Common Sturgeon 



r sliirio LINNAEUS, Syst. Nut. ed. X, 237, 1758; ({UNTHER, Cat. Fisb. 

 Brit. Mns. VIII, :U2, 1870; JORDAN & EVERMANN, Bull. 47. U. S. Nat. 

 Miis. 105, 1896; SMITH, Bull. U. S. F. C. XVI, 90, 1898. 



