The Stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus, Pallas) is one of the valuable representatives of the Ukrainian waters. Despite its commercial and ecological importance, there is insufficient information about the genetic status of the Stellate sturgeon population in the north-western part of the Black Sea basin.
The aim of the study was to bring light in the genetic diversity of the Stellate Sturgeon. Therefore, microsatellites has been used. Thirty-two individuals of Stellate sturgeon obtained from wild spawning grounds in the Dnieper River basin, Black Sea were studied. The following six microsatellite DNA markers were used for the molecular genetic studies: LS-19, LS-39, LS-68, LS-54, Aox-27 and Aox-45.  The study identified 40 alleles. The most polymorphic locus was Aox-45 with 12 alleles. The LS-39 locus was monomorphic, which is a marker for species identification in this species. The results obtained in this study should be taken into account in the future monitoring of the genetic status. They microsatellite profiles can also be taken for assignment of river origin.
 

stellatus, sevruga,