Esocidae Genus Level Identifiers
![](../images/fish/sturgeons/Lake Sturgeon_Wayne_web.jpg)
Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
General things to look for:
- Snout shape and length.
- The "rate" at which the body tapers posteriorly.
Genus Acipenser- Snout somewhat conical. Tail region (from anal fin to caudal fin) gently tapers posteriorly.
Genus Scaphirhynchus - Snout depressed and shovel-shaped. Tail region tapers very abruptly posteriorly. Tail region very thin.
![Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus)](../images/fish/sturgeons/shovelnose_sturgeon_NM_IMG_9036_web2.jpg)
Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus)