Kaluga (Huso dauricus) fish species and information / pictures of Kaluga - Huso dauricus

Kaluga (Huso dauricus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Huso dauricus

Common Name
Kaluga

Biology
Adults inhabit rivers and lakes. Adults do not spawn every year but at least every other year. With increasing age, the spawning interval increases to three, four and more years (Ref. 593). Feed on invertebrates in the first year then switch to juveniles of pelagic fishes, e.g., Oncorhynchus keta, at age 3 to 4 yrs., kaluga feed on adult fishes (Ref. 40142).

Classification

Classified By
Georgi, 1775
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Sturgeons and Paddlefishes (Acipenseriformes)
Family
Sturgeons (Acipenseridae)

Distribution

Region
Asia
Distribution
Asia: Amur basin, ascending far up to the Argun, Shilka, and Onon. In the Amur Liman to the Amur estuary in the Sea of Okhotsk. Adults inhabit some lakes, like Orel Lake above Nikolaevsk. Also in the Ussuri and Sungari, China. International trade restricted (CITES II, since 1.4.98; CMS Appendix II).Four populations are recognized in the Amur River basin: one lives in the estuary and coastal brackish waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan, second is found in the lower Amur, third in the middle Amur, and fourth in the lower reaches of the Zeya and Bureya rivers in the Russian river banks (Ref. 40142). Two ecological morphs are present in the estuary population, the 'freshwater' and the 'brackish' water forms (Ref. 40142).
Range
55°N - 43°N

Environment

Climate
Temperate
Water Temperature From
10 °C
Water Temperature To
20 °C
Depth From - meters
0 m
Depth To - meters
50 m
Zone
demersal
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 50550)
Trophic Level
4.49 s.e. 0.80 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
True
Occurs in Fresh Water
True
Occurs on Reefs
False
Is kept in Aquariums
False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
560 cm
Common Length
Unknown cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.7500 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: commercial
Vulnerability
Very high vulnerability (88 of 100)
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (tm=14-23; tmax=55; Fec=600,000)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bd)