1. ACIPEXSKK. 333 



1. ACIPENSER*. 



Aciponser, Artedi. 



Huso, Sturio, Sterleta ct IIulops, Brandt ^ Ratzeburg, ii. pp. 3, 349. 

 Lioni3cu3, Aciponser, Ilelops, Antacous, Sturio et IIuso, Fitzinyer c^- 

 Heckel, Ann. Wivn. Mus. i. p. 2f)9. 



The rows of osseous scutes not confluent on the tail. Spiracles 

 present. Caudal rays surrounding the extremity of the tail. 



Inhabitants of the temperate and arctic regions of the northern 

 hemisphere, periodically entering rirer.-j. Some species entirely 

 confined to fresh water. 



The geographical distribution of the Sturgeons is nearly identical 

 with that of Salmo. 



Si/nopsis of the Species. 



The number of species has been so multiplied, and they have been 

 founded on such trivial characters, that the critical study of the 

 literature is a very difficult task. To select and understand such 

 characters as may be used for specific distinction, ichthyologists 

 ought to choose a species of which the greatest number of examples 

 of all ages is available. Thus, for instance, on taking the common 

 European Sturgeon, it will be found that the relative breadth of the 

 snout, the form and number of the irregular scutes on the head, the 

 rudimentary ossifications of the skin, are subject to great variations, 

 individual and dependent on age. On the other hand, the number 

 of lateral shields, considered by some naturalists (who have compiled 

 their descriptions from the accounts given by different authors) to 

 be variable, proves to be very constant, young immature examples 

 having generally a few less, the hindmost on the tail not being de- 

 veloped. 



Professor Golowatschof , who appears to have had very good oppor- 

 tunities of examining great numbers of Sturgeons in Southern Russia, 

 points out some of the variable characters used for distinguishing 



* 1. Acipenser Iwvis, Agass. Lake Super, p. 267. — Long description of the 

 head of a Sturgeon from Lake Superior, 4^ feet lung. 



2. schypa (? Guldenst. Nov. Comm. Petrop. xvi. p. 533), Brandt 



4- Satzehurg, ii. p. 20, tab. 1. fig. 3 (not p. 3o0, tab. 1 a. fig. 2).— River 

 L"tisli. — Lat. scut. 40-4.'), dorsal 14. 



3. dauricus, (ieorgi, Benurk. Rcise Euss. Reich, i. p. 352; Brandt 



4" Eat^eb. Medic. Zool. ii. p. 12 ; Acipenser orientalis, I'allas, Zoogr. 

 Eoss.-As. iii. p. 107. — River Amur. — Lat. sliields 38-40, dorsal 14-16. 

 — The account given by Fifzinger cj- Meckel {Ann. Wien. Mus. i. p. 318) 

 is a compilation of descriptions given by various authors, in which evi- 

 dently several species are confounded. These two authors state, for 

 instance, that the number of lateral shields varies between 38 and iio 1 



4. (.Vntaceus) caryi, DumcrU, Kouv. Arch. Mus. 1807, p. 100, pi. 12. 



fig. 2. — California. 



5. ( ) putnami, DuniMl, I.e. |). 178, pi. 13. fig. 1. — California. 



fi. dabryanus, Dumiril, Kouv. Arch. Mus. iv. p. 'J8, pi. 22. fig. L — 



Yangtzekiang. 



7. sturioides, Malm, Forhandl. Skand. Ntrf. 8d« mode, Kjobnh. 1860, 



p. 618. — River Gota.— Dorsal jilates 1 1 , lateral 38. — Tliis species is cer- 

 tainly distinct from A. s^turio, but has not been properly distinguished 

 from other European and Americiin species. See p. 33'.'. 



