Huso dauricus — Details

River Beluga learn more about names for this taxon

Overview

Comprehensive Description

Biology

Learn more about this article

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).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Distribution

Learn more about this article

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).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Range Description

Learn more about this article

The Kaluga Sturgeon inhabits the entire Amur River basin from the estuary to the river’s upper reaches. It occurs in tributaries - the Shilka, Onon, Argun, Nerch, Sungari, Nonni and Ussuri and Neijiang Rivers (Krykhtin and Svirskii 1997). It rarely occurs in Lake Khanka. Young specimens also appear in the coastal waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, near the northeastern part of the Tatar Strait, and in the Sea of Japan near the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu (Krykhtin and Svirskii 1997, Shmigirilov et al. 2007). There are two separate populations in the Amur River tributaries - Zeya River and Bureya River (Krykhtin and Svirskii 1997, Shmigirilov et al. 2007, Chen 2007).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Learn more about this article

Asia.
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© FishWise Professional

Source: FishWise Professional

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Physical Description

Morphology

Learn more about this article

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43 - 57; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 26 - 35
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Size

Learn more about this article

Maximum size: 4000 mm TL
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© FishWise Professional

Source: FishWise Professional

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Max. size

Learn more about this article

560 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 40142)); max. published weight: 1,000.0 kg (Ref. 40142); max. reported age: 80 years (Ref. 56448)
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Diagnostic Description

Learn more about this article

Gill membranes free from isthmus and broadly connected with each other. Barbels flat, attached on ventral side of snout. Body shields in 5 rows; dorsal shields 10 to 16, lateral 32 to 46 and ventral 8 to 12.
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Ecology

Habitat

Amur River Demersal Habitat

Learn more about this article

This taxon is one of a number of demersal species in the Amur River system. Demersal river fish are found at the river bottom, feeding on benthos and zooplankton

The persistence of mercury contamination in Amur River bottom sediments is a major issue, arising from historic cinnabar mining in the basin and poor waste management practises, especially in the communist Soviet era, where industrial development was placed ahead of sound conservation practises.

The largest native demersal fish species in the Amur River is the 560 centimeter (cm) long kaluga (Huso dauricus); demersal biota are those that inhabit the bottom of a surface water body. Another large demersal fish found in the Amur is the 300 cm Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii), a taxon which is endemic to the Amur basin.

Other demersal endemic fish species (all in the concubitae family) of the Amur Basin are Iksookimia longicorpa, I. koreensis, I. hugowolfeldi, Cobitis melanoleuca melanoleuca and the Puan spine loach (Iksookimia pumila).

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

© C.Michael Hogan

Supplier: C. Michael Hogan

Trusted

Article rating from 1 person

Average rating: 5.0 of 5

see all 2 comments for this article or rate it

Environment

Learn more about this article

demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 50550)
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Habitat and Ecology

Learn more about this article

Habitat and Ecology
Habitat: All types of benthic habitats in large rivers and lakes of the Amur River basin.

Biology: Semi-anadromous (anadromous fishes spend at least part of their life in salt water and return to rivers to breed). The Kaluga Sturgeon spawns in lower reaches of the Amur River in strong-current habitats in the main stream of the river on gravel or sandy-gravel bottom. Spawning peaks from the end of May to July. Adults spawn many times during their life cycle. Spawning periodicity is 4-5 years in females and 3-4 years in males. The generation length of the species is not less than 20 years (Krykhtin and Svirskii 1997, Berg 1948).

Systems
  • Freshwater
  • Marine
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Migration

Learn more about this article

Anadromous. Fish that ascend rivers to spawn, as salmon and hilsa do. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Trophic Strategy

Learn more about this article

Feeds on invertebrates in the first year then switch to juveniles of pelagic fishes, e.g., Oncorhynchus keta, at age 3 to 4 yrs., kaluga feeds on adult fishes (Ref. 40142).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Life History and Behavior

Life Cycle

Learn more about this article

Males spawn once in three to four years while females do every four to five years (Ref. 40142). Water temperature affects the onset of maturity of females. Females spawn a year earlier during warm years than they would during cold years (Ref. 40142).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Huso dauricus

Learn more about this article

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 6
Species With Barcodes: 1
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

© Barcode of Life Data Systems

Source: Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment

Learn more about this article


Red List Category
CR
Critically Endangered

Red List Criteria
A2bd

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2010

Assessor/s
Ruban, G. & Qiwei, W.

Reviewer/s
Pourkazemi, M. & Smith, K.

Contributor/s

Justification
The species has undergone a sharp decline in both stock and recruitment. The dramatic stock decline began in the late 19th century and continues to the present day. From the late 19th century to 1992 the population has experienced a decline of more than 80%. During the last ten to fifteen years a very large decrease in the abundance of this species has occurred. The average age of fishes is subsequently decreasing as a result of catch of adults by poachers for caviar. This has resulted in females reproducing only once in their lifetime. This species has therefore been assessed as Critically Endangered.

History
  • 1996
    Endangered
  • 1994
    Rare
    (Groombridge 1994)
  • 1990
    Rare
    (IUCN 1990)
  • 1988
    Rare
    (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
  • 1986
    Rare
    (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Population

Learn more about this article

Population
Currently, complete population data based on results of direct counts and fishery statistics do not exist for this species. A decline of catches has been observed since the end of the 19th century (Vaisman and Fomenko 2007). Towards the end of the 19th century, annual catch was approximately 500 tonnes. Before 1992 the annual catch was 92 tonnes. This indicates a greater than 80% decline in catches over 90 years (Vaisman and Fomenko 2007).

A hatchery is located in Luchegorsk at Khabarovsk district which contains a living collection of eight species of sturgeons (including the Kaluga Sturgeon) and hybrids. In 2007, this hatchery attempted the first re-stocking of juveniles of this this species into the Amur River.

Population Trend
Decreasing
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Threats

Learn more about this article

Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bd)
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Learn more about this article

Major Threats
The causes of the population decline are still overfishing, both legal and poaching (Vaisman and Fomenko 2007). Recently, environmental pollution in the Amur River basin threatens the habitat and reproduction of this species (Shmigirilov et al. 2007, Chen 2007).
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Management

Conservation Actions

Learn more about this article

Conservation Actions
The majority of 'conservation' measures historically were directed to control local and national fisheries. Commercial sturgeon fishing was prohibited in the Soviet Union during the periods 1923-1930, 1958-1976 and from 1984 to the present (Vaisman and Fomenko 2007). The Kaluga Sturgeon was listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1998.
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

Source: IUCN

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Importance

Learn more about this article

fisheries: commercial
Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0)

© FishBase

Source: FishBase

Trusted

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Wikipedia

Kaluga (fish)

Learn more about this article

The Kaluga (Huso dauricus) is a large predatory sturgeon found in the Amur River basin. Also known as the river beluga, they are claimed to be the largest freshwater fish in the world, with a maximum size of at least 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) and 5.6 m (18.6 ft). Like the slightly larger Beluga, it spends part of its life in salt water. Unlike the Beluga, this fish has numerous nail-like teeth in its jaws, and feeds on salmon and other fish in the Amur by hunting them.

The Kaluga has been hunted to near extinction for its valuable roe and in spite of constant anti-poaching patrols, poachers still continue to catch the fish. Fishing for Kaluga anywhere in the Amur river is an offense punishable by law. Kalugas are known to have an aggressive nature and there are instances of them toppling fishing boats and drowning fishermen, although there is no concrete evidence of them assaulting or hunting people. Local fishermen have suggested that the Kaluga can grow well up to twenty feet in length and can weigh around 1500 kilos. The Kaluga is one of the biggest of the sturgeon family.

References

  • Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Huso dauricus" in FishBase. October 2007 version.
  • Jeremy Wade's River Monsters: Russian Killer
Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

 

Source: Wikipedia

Unreviewed

Article rating from 0 people

Average rating: 2.5 of 5

comment on or rate this article

Disclaimer

EOL content is automatically assembled from many different content providers. As a result, from time to time you may find pages on EOL that are confusing.

To request an improvement, please leave a comment on the page. Thank you!