China country information

Common names: Chinese paddlefish, Sword-billed sturgeon, 白鱘
Occurrence: endemic
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref: Nichols, J.T., 1943
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: protected | Ref: Wang, S. (ed.), 1998
Uses: no uses
Comments: This species is endemic to the Yangtze River. The population has decreased due to historical overfishing and habitat degradation. In 1981, the construction of the Gezhouba Dam in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River blocked the migration route of this species which prevented adult fish moving to the upper reaches of the river to spawn. Since 2002, only two female adult specimens have been recorded, despite recent surveys to re-discover the species. The last recorded juveniles from the lower reaches of the river, was in 1995. Expected number of mature individuals 0-50 left in the wild is expected and this species was assessed in October 24, 2009 as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). However, more extensive surveys are needed in areas across the species range in order to confirm whether or not individuals of this species remain. The species was last seen in 2003 (Ref. 117880).

Recorded reports are the following: in 1992, two specimens (1.2 kg weight, 47 cm TL; 1.3 kg weight, 50 cm TL) were found in the Chongqing reach (in Chen, 2007); in 2002, a female (body length 330 cm, weight 117 kg) captured in the section of Jiangsu Nanjing, Yangtze River in 2002 (attempts were made to save this individual, but it only survived in captivity for 30 days); Jan 24th, 2003, a female (body length 352 cm) was accidentally caught in Yibin, Sichuan Province China (upper stream of Yangtze River); between 2006-2008, none collected (Ref. 117880). From other literature: four specimens from Yichang City of Hubei Province, Chongming Island of Shanghai City, and Ningpo City of Zhejiang Province (Ref. 47439) and also recorded in Changjiang River and occasionally found in Qiantangjiang River (Ref. 45563).

Many spawning grounds have been destroyed by the Gezhouba Dam in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (= Changjiang River). Urgent action is required to save this species (Ref. 28581). Also Ref. 36732.

Status of threat: Endangered (Ref. 45563). Possibly extinct (Ref. 117880).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: IUCN, 1990
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Chinese swordfish, 白鲟, Chinese swordfish, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Chondrostei (sturgeons) > Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons and paddlefishes) > Polyodontidae (Paddlefishes)
Etymology: Psephurus: Greek, psephas, -aos = dark + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 117880). Subtropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Asia: China, endemic to the Yangtze River and its tributaries.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 28581); max. published weight: 300.0 kg (Ref. 28581)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Head very long, snout extraordinarily long, pointed and paddle-like and base broad; mouth very large.

This species is considered anadromous for it spends at least part of its life in the sea and migrates upriver to reproduce. It occurs in broad surfaced main streams of large rivers, usually staying in the middle and lower layers of the water column and occasionally swims into large lakes. Spawning period is in March and April with spawning sites located in the upper reaches of the Changjiang River but was also reported to take place in the lower Jinsha River between Shuifu and Yibin (Ref. 117880). It grows to 3 m in length and 300 kg in weight (Ref. 28581). Reported length of 7 m SL (Ref. 6866) and 500 kg weight (Ref. 4537, 58490) are doubtful (Paxton, pers. comm.). Piscivorous throughout most of its life. Threatened due to over harvesting and habitat loss (Ref. 58490). Expected number of mature individuals in the wild, less than 50, but more extensive surveys are needed across its range to confirm its existence; last seen in 2003 (Ref. 117880).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott, 1991. World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (21):243 p. (Ref. 4537)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Extinct (EX) ; Date assessed: 14 September 2019

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Appendix II: Migratory species conserved through agreements

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

FAO(Fisheries: species profile; publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 1.2500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00501 (0.00192 - 0.01311), b=3.10 (2.88 - 3.32), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 4.2 ±0.73 se; based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=5-15).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Psephurus gladius (Martens, 1862)