white sturgeon

fish

Also known as: Acipenser transmontanus, Oregon sturgeon, Sacramento sturgeon(Show More)

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) is a species of fish native to the Pacific coast of North America. It is recognized as the largest freshwater fish in North America, capable of reaching lengths of up to 11 feet and weights exceeding half a ton.1

Sturgeons, belonging to the family Acipenseridae, are ancient fish found in temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Most sturgeon species inhabit oceans and migrate to rivers to spawn, while some remain in freshwater environments. These fish are characterized by bony plates (scutes) on their bodies and a toothless, underslung mouth equipped with barbels used to find food on the riverbed. Many sturgeon species are critically endangered due to overfishing and habitat degradation.2

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chondrostean
Distribution
…Oregon, or Sacramento sturgeon (A. transmontanus) inhabits the waters of the Pacific coast of North America from California to Alaska. The shovelnose sturgeons (genus Scaphirhynchus) occur in the Mississippi drainage system of North America. The Aral Sea shovelnose sturgeons (Pseudoscaphirhynchus) are found in rivers that drain into the
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…Oregon, or Sacramento sturgeon (A. transmontanus) inhabits the waters of the Pacific coast of North America from California to Alaska. The shovelnose sturgeons (genus Scaphirhynchus) occur in the Mississippi drainage system of North America. The Aral Sea shovelnose sturgeons (Pseudoscaphirhynchus) are found in rivers that drain into the
Read More

sturgeon
Distribution
The white, Oregon, or Sacramento sturgeon (A. transmontanus) occurs on the Pacific coast and is the largest of the North American sturgeons, weighing up to 820 kg (1,800 pounds).
Read More
The white, Oregon, or Sacramento sturgeon (A. transmontanus) occurs on the Pacific coast and is the largest of the North American sturgeons, weighing up to 820 kg (1,800 pounds).
Read More