Fishes
257
Order: Acipenseriformes
Family: Acipenseridae
Common name: Sterlet.
Distribution: Eurasia: Black, Azov, and
Caspian Seas; Siberia (Birstein, 1993).
Habitat: Rivers migrating between
fresh and salt waters.
Description: This species is distinguishable from other European species of sturgeons by the presence
of whitish lateral  scutes, four long
fringed barbels, and an elongated
and narrow snout. Ventrals and laterals are very light colored, nearly
white or yellowish. It may reach 16 kg
in weight and 100–125  cm in length
(Keith and Allardi, 2001).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (g/100 g DM)
Moisture Protein Fat Ash Cholesterol a
75.38
17.54 5.39 0.93
73.59
a mg/100 g.
Fatty Acids (g/100 g)
SFA
MUFA
PUFA
PUFA/SFA
32.67
45.97
22.17
0.68
Source: Data from Ljubojevic et al. (2013).
Huso huso Linnaeus 1758
Order: Acipenseriformes
Family: Acipenseridae
Common name: Beluga, giant sturgeon,
European sturgeon, great sturgeon.
Distribution: Black, Caspian, and Azov
Seas as well as the Adriatic (FishBase,
2002).
Habitat: Anadromous (spending at
least part of its life in salt water and
returning to rivers to breed).
Description: It is the largest sturgeon
in the world and the largest European
freshwater fish, as it can reach up to 5m
in length with a maximum weight of
2072 kg. It has an elongated body shape
and a flattened, slightly upturned snout
with the mouth located underneath.
There are five rows of bony plates (or
scutes) that run the length of the body,
one along the back, one on each flank,
and two on the undersurface. The short,
fleshy barbels in front of the mouth are
feathered at the ends. Body is predominantly dark gray or greenish, while the
belly tends to be white (FishBase, 2002;
Cihar, 1991).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% WW)
Lipid
Protein Moisture Ash
4.25
18.45
70.75
1.90
Fatty Acids (g/100 g of Total Fatty Acids)
SFA
MUFA PUFA
n-3
n-6
20.67
37.87
33.04
9.04
24.00
Source: Data from Pourshamsian (2012).