Specific Identification of the Extinct Population of Sturgeons from the Rhône river by Sequencing of mtDNA from Bone Remains (Jardin d'Hiver, Arles, France, 6th to 2nd century BC.)

Sturgeon lived in the Rhone river (France) until its complete extinction in the mid 1970's. Usually attributed to Acipenser sturio, it disappeared without certitude about species identity and about possible sympatry between Acipenser sturio and Acipenser naccarii as it occured in the Po (Italy) and Guadalquivir (Spain) rivers. Genetic analyses on several sturgeon bone remains from the Arles' Jardin d'Hiver collection have been carried out to solve this question. These remains belong to sturgeons caught in the Rhone river. The mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b) sequences clearly show that A. sturio lived in this river. Morphological comparisons between ancient bone remains and recent skeletons from A. sturio and A. naccarii were also carried out. All these preliminary results are a prerequisite to plan a possible restoration of sturgeon in the Rhone river.