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Summary for Alosa sapidissima Larvae
American shad

Alosa  sapidissima  (Wilson, 1811)
Family:	Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens)
Order:	Clupeiformes
Class:	Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
English name:	American shad
Distribution:	North America: Newfoundland (Ref. 1998), the St. Lawrence River, and Nova Scotia southward to central Florida. Due to introductions into the Sacramento and Columbia Rivers, this species is now found from Cook Inlet, Alaska (Ref. 1998) to Baja California in Mexico and the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Adult biology:	Spend most of its life at sea, returning to freshwater streams to breed (Ref. 27547). Non-spawning adults are found in schools near the surface of continental shelf waters in spring, summer and fall (Ref. 7135); also found in brackish waters (Ref. 4607). Newly hatched larvae are found in rivers during the summer; by autumn they enter the sea and remain there until maturity. Juveniles form schools at 20-30 mm TL and gradually move downstream (Ref. 4639). Feed on plankton, mainly copepods and mysids, occasionally on small fishes. Feeding ceases during upstream spawning migration and resumes during the downstream post-spawning migration (Ref. 1998). Commercially caught in rivers and estuaries during spawning migration (Ref. 1998). Utilized fresh, salted, or smoked. The roe is esteemed. Eaten pan-fried, broiled, and baked (Ref. 9988). Possibly to 375 m depth (Ref. 6793). Parasites found are nematodes, Acanthocephala, copepods and distomes (Ref. 37032).
Diagnosis:	Body long and slender, increasing in relative depth throughout stage. Auditory vesicles still evident at 21.0 mm. Gas bladder evident by 14 mm TL. Pigmentation: Up to 13 mm TL, two lines of pigment beginning at pectoral bases and continuing along venter and intestine diverge rapidly causing both lines to exhibit a double bending, appearing as short dashes; pigment on isthmus decreased; a line of chromatophores ventrolaterally between head and caudal peduncle. At 14-16 mm TL, diverging lines of pigment along venter generally terminating at 14th or 15th myomere; chromatophores sometimes present along dorsal wall of intestine between dorsal fin and anus; few chromatophores on caudal fin. Larger specimens highly variable; additional pigment develops on snout, operculum, and dorsal surfaces of head and body. Specimens from freshwater more heavily pigmented than those from brackish water. Sequence of fin development: By 14 mm TL, finfold greatly reduced; anlagen of dorsal fin developed; incipient caudal rays formed; urostyle directed slightly upward; rudimentary pelvics evident at 18 mm; preanal finfold retained throughout stage. At 21-22.9 mm, pectorals and ventrals still developing. See also LARVAE table.
Climate Zone:	temperate; 61°N - 22°N
Main Ref:	Jones, P.W., F.D. Martin and J.D. Hardy, Jr.. 1978. (Ref. 4639)
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	Modified: Luna, Susan M.	Entered: Garilao, Cristina V.

	Ref.:				Glossary
		(e.g. 9948)				(e.g. urostyle)

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Page created by Eli 09.11.99, last modified by Eli 04.03.05.