Kaluga sturgeon

Overview

The kaluga, also known as the river beluga, is a large predatory sturgeon found in the Amur River basin from Russia to China and near Hokkaido in Japan. With a maximum size of at least 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) and 5.6 m (18 ft), the kaluga is one of the biggest of the sturgeon family. Unike the slightly larger beluga, this fish has five major rows of dermal scutes and feeds on salmon and other fish in the Amur with nail-like teeth in its jaws. They have grey-green to black backs with a yellowish green-white underbelly. Akin to the beluga, it spends part of its life in salt water, being semi-anadromous.

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