Lake sturgeon sampling on the Mississippi Rive
This lake sturgeon, captured for monitoring and released, is an impressive dinosaur of a fish, covered in rows of diamond-shaped scutes instead of scales. It has four barbels that act as sensory organs hanging from their snout, helping them locate prey. Biologist study lake sturgeon to improve populations and habitat areas. The lake sturgeon is a benthivorous, meaning they eat prey from the bottom of water bodies.

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Photo by: Janet Meredith |  VIRIN: 240322-A-KR238-1014.JPG