INTRODUCTION The sturgeons of the Caspian Sea are considered highly valuable species. The Caspian Sea has traditionally been regarded as the sea of sturgeon since it produces more than 90 percent of the world’s caviar. Despite a remarkable decline of sturgeon numbers over recent years, the Caspian Sea still continues to be of considerable importance in sturgeon fisheries. In 1997, the global la...

—Pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus and shovelnose sturgeon S. platorynchus are recognized morphologically as separate species. A previous genetic study with allozymes was unable to distinguish between the two species or demonstrate their reproductive isolation in regions of sympatry. Our main objective was to measure the genetic variability within and among populations of pallid and shovelno...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: All living organisms shed DNA into the environment. Recent studies have demonstrated that environmental water samples can be effectively assayed for the DNA of target organisms. The DNA contained in these samples is commonly referred to as environmental DNA or eDNA. Because DNA assays can be sensitive to very small amounts of genetic material, eDNA surveys have the potential ...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: All living organisms shed DNA into the environment. Recent studies have demonstrated that environmental water samples can be effectively assayed for the DNA of target organisms. The DNA contained in these samples is commonly referred to as environmental DNA or eDNA. Because DNA assays can be sensitive to very small amounts of genetic material, eDNA surveys have the potential ...

To determine the genetic origin of individual sturgeon that are morphologically intermediate to pallid (Scaphirhynchus albus) and shovelnose (Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus) sturgeon, we combined previously published mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite data with additional microsatellite data. Two sympatric populations of pallid and shovelnose sturgeon from the upper Missouri River and a...

 Co-feeding of fish larvae with live food and formulated diet has been at the focus of fish nutritionists since last decade. In this study we tried to refine the feeding practices of great beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) larvae using different combinations of newly hatched Artemia urmiana nauplii and trout starter diet. Three replicate groups (250 fish/replicate) of first-feeding Huso huso larvae w...

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, Acipenseridae) populations are currently at severely depleted levels due to historic overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. The importance of biologically correct stock structure for effective conservation and management efforts is well known. Recent improvements in our understanding of Atlantic sturgeon migrations, movement, and the occurr...

The green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) is a highly migratory, oceanic, anadromous species with a complex life history that makes it vulnerable to species-wide threats in both freshwater and at sea. Green sturgeon population declines have preceded legal protection and curtailment of activities in marine environments deemed to increase its extinction risk. Yet, its marine habitat is poorly un...

The effects of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) were studied on Beluga (Huso huso) fish larvae by feeding fish larvae with live food  enriched with 4 different oils (ICES 30/4, tuna eye oil, flaxseed oil and linseed oil) containing different levels of n-3 HUFA including 27.19, 20.33, 12.71 and 0.39 mg g-1 dry weight of oil, respectively. Fish larvae weighing 30.00±2.00 mg were rand...

The effects of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) were studied on Beluga (Huso huso) fish larvae by feeding fish larvae with live food  enriched with 4 different oils (ICES 30/4, tuna eye oil, flaxseed oil and linseed oil) containing different levels of n-3 HUFA including 27.19, 20.33, 12.71 and 0.39 mg g-1 dry weight of oil, respectively. Fish larvae weighing 30.00±2.00 ...