Shortnose sturgeon in the Connecticut River, CT. Photo by ©Michelson, Inc.
A close-up view of the Snortnose Sturgeon head. Photo by ©CT.gov
Fact File
Scientific Name: Acipenser brevirostrum
Classification: Fish, Order Acipenseriformes, Family Acipenseridae
Conservation Status:
- Federally Endangered in the U.S.
- State Endangered in Virginia
- SGCN Tier Ia: The Virginia 2015 Wildlife Action Plan lists Shortnose Sturgeon as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Tier I, with a conservation opportunity ranking of "a"
Size: Shortnose Sturgeon in Virginia can grow to about 5 feet in length
Life Span: Shortnose Sturgeon typically live for about 30 years but outliers can live into their 50s and 60s
Identifying Characteristics
Shortnose Sturgeon as viewed from the side and bottom. Photo by ©CT.gov
- Five rows of bony plates (scutes) along the top and sides of the body
- A falcate shaped tail fin which is classified as heterocercal (upper lobe is asymmetrically larger than the bottom lobe, with the vertebral column extending upward into the top lobe).
- 4 prominent barbels on the underside, between the mouth and snout
- Brown to yellow colored sides and head; underbelly is yellowish to creamy in color
- A shorter snout than the larger-bodied Atlantic Sturgeon
Acipenseridae Characteristics and Anatomical Terms
Illustrations by ©Makayla DeVivo – DWR
Distribution
Shortnose Sturgeon, although rare, have the potential to exist in all of the coastal and tidal waters of Virginia.
Diet
The sucker-like mouth of the Shortnose Sturgeon is positioned on the bottom of the snout and functions much like a vacuum. The mouth can protrude a considerable distance from the snout when fully extended. As this physiological adaptation may imply, Shortnose Sturgeon are primarily bottom feeders. Larval specimens possess tiny teeth which allows them to shred zooplankton in this early life stage.
As individuals grow into fingerlings and juveniles the teeth are lost and individuals transition into a diet comprised of worms and other small bottom-dwelling (benthic) organisms. Shortnose Sturgeon are equipped with barbels that function as taste buds and electroreceptors on their snout known as ampullae of Lorenzini that aids them in detecting other living creatures. This combination of sensory organs gives the Shortnose Sturgeon the ability to thrive in the benthic zone, where it opportunistically feeds upon insects, crustaceans, shrimp, mollusks, and other fish inhabiting the substrates.
Habitat
Shortnose Sturgeon are anadromous, or more specifically amphidromous, meaning they spawn in freshwater systems, but utilize estuaries and saltwater as their other metabolic needs vary. They require unimpaired waters with sandy and muddy substrates that allow them to effectively feed.
Special Considerations
It is illegal to target Shortnose Sturgeon by angling. The Shortnose Sturgeon is listed as an endangered species under federal and Virginia law. It is a violation of state and federal law to harass, harm, or take any Shortnose Sturgeon.
For the definitions of take, harass, and harm, see 4 VAC 15-20-140.
Last updated: August 3, 2025
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