Beluga
(Huso huso)
Classification
Species:
Huso huso
Genus:
Huso - Beluga sturgeons
Family: Acipenseridae - Sturgeons
Class: Chondrostei - Sturgeons
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
The beluga, also known as the beluga sturgeon or great sturgeon (Huso huso), is a species of anadromous fish in the sturgeon family (Acipenseridae) of order Acipenseriformes. It is found primarily in the Caspian and Black Sea basins, and formerly in the Adriatic Sea. Based on maximum size, it is the third-most-massive living species of bony fish. Heavily fished for the valuable roe, known as beluga caviar, wild populations have been greatly reduced by overfishing and poaching, leading IUCN to classify the species as critically endangered.