Scientific Name
Podothecus accipenserinus

Common Name
Sturgeon poacher

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 6 - 9; Vertebrae: 39 - 42. Dorsal fins well forward and moderately separated; pectorals expanded, bottom 4 rays emarginate; pelvic fins reduced, in males length about equal to snout, in females half as long (Ref. 6885). Light grayish brown on dorsal surface, light yellow to orange on ventral surface; orange spot under each eye; dark saddle-like markings across back and sides; bright yellow on cirri; dusky on fins, dark blotch on posterior tip of anal fin in older individuals (Ref. 6885).

Classification

Classified By

Tilesius, 1813

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Poachers (Agonidae)

Distribution

Region

North Pacific

Distribution

North Pacific: western Bering Sea south of Cape Navarin to Commander Islands, and Pacific Ocean to Sea of Okhotsk off southwestern Kamchatka and northern Kuril Islands; eastern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands from Attu Island to northern California at Point Reyes.

Range

- 41°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

710 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; depth range 2 - 710 m (Ref. 50610)

Trophic Level

3.39 s.e. 0.51 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.5 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5312 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated