A ventr al small tr ansver se mouth. Snoutshort with four unfringed cylindrical barbels, lie nearersnout tip than mouth, and do not extend back to mouth.Lower lip interrupted at its center. Gill membranesjoined to isthmus. Small spiracles present. Five rows ofscutes interspersed by smaller starry scutes. Interorbitaldistance short. Snout and caudal peduncle semi-conical.Heterocercal caudal fin. Posteriorly positioned pelvicfins. Anadromous, preferring warm waters (10-20°C).Maximum age 50 years, total length 215 cm and weight115 kg. Females larger than males. Males mature at 11-13 years and females at 12-16 years. Minimum spawningintervals 2 years. Spawning migration in spring (Marchearlymay) and fall (late September-early November).Eggs laid on gravel or stone beds at 4-25 m depths and 9-12°C. Absolute fecundity up to 1,165,000 brownish-greyand ovate eggs of up to 3.8 mm in diameter. Solitaryfish, rarely in groups. Food include crustaceans, aquaticinsects and polychaetes in juveniles, and molluscs, crabs,and small fish in adults.