Digestion of the White Sturgeon
The digestive process of the sturgeon, like all creatures, starts at the mouth. The mouth of the White Sturgeon is located on the underside of the fish and is large and telescopic in nature. Lacking teeth the sturgeon can't simply slam its jaws on prey to begin mechanical digestion in its mouth, it must instead open and extend its vacuum like mouth in the direction of the near by prey in order to suck it in and begin digestion. The digestive process then begins as the consumed prey passes through the pharynx where enzymes begin to break down the prey. After passing through the pharynx the prey travels down the esophagus into the glandular stomach where the prey is introduced to a heavy dose of chemical digestion. Once the prey is broken down by the enzymes and acids in the glandular stomach it moves on to the muscular stomach where mechanical digestion occurs to further break up the prey. The prey will then move through the pyloric process where the chemical break down continues and toxins are removed from the digestive track as it travels into the small intestine where nutrients from the food are absorbed. The food then moves through the spiral colon where the digestive process is completed and the former prey is prepared for excretion out of the animals rectum.