Paddlefish

Paddlefish, either of two related species of fishes, one living in the Yangzi Valley in China, the other living in the Mississippi Valley in the United States. Paddlefishes are mostly without scales and have a paddle-like extension of the snout. The mouth, located beneath the paddle, is very large and is used for filter-feeding plankton. The American species reaches a weight of 72 kg (160 lb) and a length of about 2 m (6 ft); the Chinese paddlefish is about twice this size. Although the paddlefish is not popular as a food, the eggs make good caviar.

Scientific classification: Paddlefishes make up the family Polydontidae of the order Acipenseriformes. The Chinese paddlefish is classified as Psephurus gladius and the American paddlefish as Polyodon spathula.