[ noun ] valuable source of caviar and isinglass; found in Black and Caspian seas <noun.animal>
Hausen \Hau"sen\ (h[add]"s[e^]n), n. [G.] (Zo["o]l.) A large sturgeon ({Acipenser huso} syn. {Huso huso}) from the region of the Black Sea; also called {Beluga}. It is sometimes twelve feet long, and provides the highest quality {caviar}. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Huso \Hu"so\, n. [NL., fr. G. hausen, and E. isinglass.] (Zo["o]l.) (a) A large European sturgeon ({Huso huso} or {Acipenser huso}), inhabiting the region of the Black and Caspian Seas. It sometimes attains a length of more than twelve feet, and a weight of two thousand pounds. Called also {hausen} and {beluga}. It is the source of the finest and most esteemed caviar. (b) The huchen, a large salmon.
Beluga \Be*lu"ga\ (b[-e]*l[=u]"g[.a]), n. [Russ. bieluga a sort of large sturgeon, prop. white fish, fr. bieluii white. The whale is now commonly called bieluka in Russian.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A cetacean allied to the dolphins.
Note: The northern beluga ({Delphinapterus catodon}) is the {white whale} and {white fish} of the whalers. It grows to be from twelve to eighteen feet long.
2. the sturgeon ({Huso huso}) native to the Black Sea and Caspian Sea; -- also called {hausen}. It is valued for its roe, sold as {caviar}, and is also used for production of isinglass. See also {sturgeon}. [PJC]
3. the caviar obtained from the beluga[2]; -- also called {beluga caviar}. The caviar of the beluga is considered the finest sort, larger and of a taste superior to that obtained from other sturgeon. See also {sturgeon} and {caviar}. [PJC]