sterlet

fish

Also known as: Acipenser ruthenus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) is a small species of sturgeon found in the Caspian Sea and its rivers. It is highly regarded for its flavor and its caviar.1

Sturgeons, belonging to the family Acipenseridae, are ancient fish native to the Northern Hemisphere. Many species live in oceans and migrate to rivers to spawn, while others are freshwater inhabitants. These fish are characterized by bony plates along their bodies and a toothless, underslung mouth used for foraging on the bottom. Sturgeons are known for their valuable flesh and caviar, but many species are critically endangered.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

caviar
…the golden eggs of the sterlet, was formerly reserved for the table of the tsar; more recently it found its way to the tables of Soviet dignitaries and that of the shah of Iran. Lesser grades of caviar, made from broken or immature eggs, are more heavily salted and compressed.…
Read More
…the golden eggs of the sterlet, was formerly reserved for the table of the tsar; more recently it found its way to the tables of Soviet dignitaries and that of the shah of Iran. Lesser grades of caviar, made from broken or immature eggs, are more heavily salted and compressed.…
Read More

chondrostean
Distribution
A smaller species, the sterlet (A. ruthenus), inhabits the Black and Caspian seas. The starry sturgeon (A. stellatus) occurs in rivers leading to the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea. The lake sturgeon of North America (A. fulvescens) occurs in the Mississippi
Read More
A smaller species, the sterlet (A. ruthenus), inhabits the Black and Caspian seas. The starry sturgeon (A. stellatus) occurs in rivers leading to the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea. The lake sturgeon of North America (A. fulvescens) occurs in the Mississippi
Read More

sturgeon
Distribution
A smaller species, the sterlet (A. ruthenus), inhabits the Black and Caspian seas and is a valuable food fish about 0.9 metre (3 feet) long. The stellate, or star, sturgeon, A. stellatus, occurs in the rivers of the Black and Caspian seas and of the Sea of Azov. It…
Read More
A smaller species, the sterlet (A. ruthenus), inhabits the Black and Caspian seas and is a valuable food fish about 0.9 metre (3 feet) long. The stellate, or star, sturgeon, A. stellatus, occurs in the rivers of the Black and Caspian seas and of the Sea of Azov. It…
Read More