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Morphological Distinction Between Juvenile Stages of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio and the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus

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Biology and Conservation of the European SturgeonAcipenser sturioL. 1758

Abstract

Despite widespread use of genetic species discrimination, morphological characteristics provide the only means of species identification in the field. In Atlantic and European sturgeon parameters used for species segregation have been established for subadults and adults. So far, with regard to juvenile stages of A. oxyrinchus currently used for restocking, diagnostic morphological characteristics allowing the distinction between the two species have not been defined. Here, morphometric and meristic characteristics of early juveniles of A. oxyrinchus and A. sturio are presented, and their value for the species determination in fish of 4–20 cm is assessed. We outline valid diagnostic characteristics in juveniles (number of dorsal and lateral scutes, surface/type of scutes, presence of fontanelle), giving comments on their usefulness with regard to the diagnostic significance in adults.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported in part by a grant from the German Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF 0330718) as part of the project “Genetic population structure, breeding plan and artificial reproduction of the European sturgeon”. We would like to thank Marcel Jansen and Philipp Lachner for their help in the lab.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    Sven Wuertz

  2. Gesellschaft für Marine Aquakultur mbH, Hafentörn 3, 25761, Büsum, Germany

    Stefan Reiser

  3. Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, University of Hamburg, Olbersweg 24, 22767, Hamburg, Germany

    Jörn Gessner

  4. Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Humboldt University, Philippstr. 13, Haus 16, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Frank Kirschbaum

Authors
  1. Sven Wuertz
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  2. Stefan Reiser
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  3. Jörn Gessner
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  4. Frank Kirschbaum
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Correspondence to Sven Wuertz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. rue du Pas de Madame 4, Audenge, 33980, France

    Patrick Williot

  2. UR Ecosystemes Estuariens et Poissons Mi, Cemagref, Avenue de Verdun 50, Cestas cedex, 33612, France

    Eric Rochard

  3. CÉPAM, Labo. Archéologie, CNRS Valbonne, avenue Albert-Einstein 250, Valbonne, 06560, France

    Nathalie Desse-Berset

  4. Abt. Biologie und Ökologie der Fische, Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Philippstr. 13, Berlin, 10115, Germany

    Frank Kirschbaum

  5. Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei, Leibniz-Institut für, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    Jörn Gessner

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Wuertz, S., Reiser, S., Gessner, J., Kirschbaum, F. (2011). Morphological Distinction Between Juvenile Stages of the European Sturgeon Acipenser sturio and the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus . In: Williot, P., Rochard, E., Desse-Berset, N., Kirschbaum, F., Gessner, J. (eds) Biology and Conservation of the European SturgeonAcipenser sturioL. 1758. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20611-5_4

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