Pallid Sturgeons have a unique dinosaur-like appearance. They have a flattened snout, long slender tail and are armored with lengthwise rows of bony plates instead of scales. Their mouth is toothless and positioned under the snout for sucking small fishes and invertebrates from the river bottom. The Pallid Sturgeon is one of the largest (30-60 inches) fishes found in the Missouri-Mississippi River drainage, with specimens weighing up to 85 pounds and reaching lengths of 6 feet, whereas the closely related Shovelnose Sturgeon rarely weights more than 8 pounds. The back and sides of Pallid Sturgeons are grayish-white versus the brown color of the Shovelnose Sturgeons.

The Pallid Sturgeon is usually light brown on the dorsal surface and white underneath. It has a flattened, shovel-shaped snout. Fleshy chin barbels are located at about 1/3 the distance between the mouth and snout, with the inner barbels about 1/2 the length of the outer barbels. The Pallid has a long, slender, flattened and armored region from the dorsal fin to the tail fin, which has a long upper lobe. There are no bony plates on the belly.

Pallid Sturgeons is a bottom dweller, found in areas of strong current and firm sand bottom in the main channel of large rivers such as the Missouri. Their preferred habitat has a diversity of depths and currents formed by braided channels, sand bars, sand flats and gravel bars.

Pallids are slow-growing, late-maturing fish that feed on small fishes and immature aquatic insects. Spawning occurs from June through August.  Sexual maturity for males is estimated to be 7-9 years, with 2-3 year intervals between spawning. Females are not expected to not reach sexual maturity until 7-15 years, with up to 10-year intervals between spawning. Pallid Sturgeons are long lived, with individuals reaching 50 years of age or more.