Shovelnose Sturgeon [Scaphirhynchus platorynchus]
Description
The Shovelnose Sturgeon is a small, bottom-dwelling sturgeon native to the Mississippi and Missouri River basins. Measuring 70-100 cm in length, it has a flattened rostrum that resembles a shovel, giving it its name. It has a long, slender tail and its body is covered in 5 rows of bony plates. It primarily feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish. The Shovelnose Sturgeon is known to migrate upstream for spawning.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Fish
Actinopterygii
|
| Order |
Sturgeons and Paddlefishes
Acipenseriformes
|
| Family |
Sturgeons
Acipenseridae
|
| Genus |
Shovelnose Sturgeons
Scaphirhynchus
|