What is the dermal armor structure replacing true scales on the White Sturgeon?
Answer
Five distinctive rows of bony plates known as scutes
White Sturgeons lack the true scales found on most modern teleost fish. Instead, their exterior is covered by five distinct rows of heavily mineralized bony plates called scutes. These scutes run along the flanks, back, and belly, functioning as dermal armor. This characteristic feature is common among many early ray-finned fishes and represents a primitive morphology. Unlike the flexible, overlapping scales typical of contemporary fish, the rigidity of these scutes offers substantial protection but also makes them inflexible.
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