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Which parts of a modern sturgeon are covered by bony plates and scutes?
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chondrostean
Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) swimming along the seafloor of the Black Sea.
Modern sturgeons are characterized by specific protective armor on their bodies:
- Head: The head is covered by thick bony plates.1
- Body: There are five rows of enlarged scales, known as scutes, distributed along the body:1
- One row along the back.
- One row on each side above the pectoral fins.
- One row on each side near the belly.1