Stiurjíon
[Family: Bradánfearnadai]
Stiurjíon (/ˈstɔɹ dʒiːn/) is the common name for the nine long-lived, late maturing fish species belonging to the Bradánfearnacosúla taxonomic family. Stiurjíon have inhabited the world's seas and rivers for nearly 200 million years, and are considered "primitive fishes" because their physical characteristics have changes very little from their fossil predecessors. Most species of Stiurjíon are native to the lakes, rivers and coastal waters of the northern hemisphere, although the two species of the Cosúilbradánna genus are indigenous to southern Heremonia.
All stiurjíon have long scaleless bodies that taper to a distinctive siorc-like heterocercal caudal fin, and a flat head with an elongated snout. Stiurjíon are bottom feeders, and have four tactile protrusions on the underside of their snouts, directly in front of their toothless mouths, called scialla, which they drag along the bottom in search of food. Although they are classed as bony fish, stiurjíon skeletons are composed primarily of cartilage. Nevertheless, external bony plates called sciatha cover the head and run in five lateral rows along the length of the trunk.
Many species of stiurjíon can grow very large, typically reaching lengths of 3 – 4 yds and weighing 500 – 850 pds. The largest species, the Tesagan or Great Stiurjíon (Bradánfearna bániontacha), can attain lengths of up to 12 yds and weigh as much as 3,500 pds. The smallest, the Freshwater Stiurjíon (Cosúilbradánna fionnuisce), grows to 2 – 2.5 yds long and up to 350 pds. Female stiurjíon are typically 10% larger than their male counterparts. Stiurjíon have an average lifespan of 65 – 70 years, and do not reach full maturity until 15 – 20 years old.
Most stiurjíon species are anadromous, migrating upstream in early summer to spawn. They typically live in the sea, staying relatively close to shore and preferring estruaries and coastlines with a shallow continental shelf, although larger species such as the Tesagan Stiurjíon and the Boreal Stiurjíon (Bradánfearna thuaida) commonly swim in the open sea. Uniquely, the Freshwater Stiurjíon spends its entire life cycle in the rivers and streams of southwestern Heremonia, while the Lake or Crofin Stiurjíon (Bradánfearna coislocha) spends most of its life feeding in the highly saline waters of the Crofin Sea, and spawns in the headwaters of the Yixsa River.
Stiurjíon have been harvested since earliest times for their meat, and in more recent times for their swim bladders, which yield a valuable collagen known as geilitín. They are perhaps best known, though, for the highly prized caiveár produced from their roe, the most exclusive being Eastern River caiveár. The world’s largest commercial stiurjíon fisheries are located on the Crofin Sea shores of Cathair Crofin and Barakiel. Other major commercial fisheries can be found in Barchu, Velandriault and Swanlinbar.
To be continued...
Stiurjíon
Family: BradánfearnadaiANIMAL SPECIES
Eastern River Stiurjíon (Bradánfearna abhainna)
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:
Ainiví
Phylum:
Corda
Class:
Agathanna
Order:
Bradánfearnafíorma
Family:
Bradánfearnacosúla
Genera:
Bradánfearna
Cosúilbradánna
Species:
B. abhainna
B. bániontacha
B. coislocha
B. géarsmidea
B. murascailla
B. thiara
B. thuaida
C. fionnuisce
C. theasa
Eastern River Caiveár
Comments