A reference to sturgeons included in the family Acipenseridae that consists of large (1 to 5.5 meters) freshwater or anadromous fishes that are widespread in the northern hemisphere.

They have spindle-shaped bodies bearing rows of large bony scutes [external-bony scales]; mouth protrusible; teeth absent in adults; swim bladder large; contains twenty-five species, some exploited commercially; eggs marketed as caviar.