Dorosoma cepedianum (Lesueur, 1818)

American gizzard shad

Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Classification	Actinopterygii \| Clupeiformes \| Clupeidae
Synonyms	Megalops cepediana, Chatoessus insociabilis, Clupea heterurus, ... more
Common names	Alose noyer, Sábalo molleja, Gizzard shad, ... more

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Image of Dorosoma cepedianum (American gizzard shad)

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This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.

AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985. (Ref. 188)
Other references | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 57.0 cm FL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 35.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); max. published weight: 1,980 g (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 10 years (Ref. 72462)

Environment

Pelagic-neritic; anadromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range ? - 33 m (Ref. 39020)

Climate / Range

Subtropical; ? - 32°C (Ref. 12741); 45°N - 24°N, 100°W - 70°W (Ref. 188)

Northwest Atlantic: North America and Gulf of Mexico drainage (southeast South Dakota and central Minnesota, Great Lakes drainage, i.e. in Lake Erie, southern parts of Lakes Huron and Michigan, Lake Ontario basin; not Lake Superior; southernmost New York southward to the Mississippi system and to Gulf southward to Río Pánuco, Mexico.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 25 - 36; Vertebrae: 47 - 51. Body moderately deep; belly with 17 to 20 - 10 to 14 scutes. Mouth small; lower jaw short. Last dorsal fin ray long, about equal to distance from snout tip to mid-pectoral fin or beyond; anal fin long. Scales small, somewhat irregular. A dark spot behind gill opening. Gill rakers fine and numerous (Ref. 188). Branchiostegal rays 6 (Ref. 4639). Silvery to brassy, with a bluish back. Stomach thick-walled, gizzard-like (Ref. 7251).

Occur mainly in freshwater in large rivers, reservoirs, lakes, swamps, temporary floodwater pools, etc., but adults also found in brackish or saline water of estuaries or bays, preferring quieter open waters. Juveniles are found in great abundance well upstream from brackish water (Ref. 39041). Very young individuals apparently never enter brackish water (Ref. 38947). Larvae are most abundant in surface waters both day and night (Ref. 4639). A herbivorous filter-feeder almost entirely. Breed near the surface in freshwater from late winter (mid-March) through most of the summer (at least to about mid-August). The adhesive eggs sink. Used to some extent as fertilizer and cattle food (Ref. 188).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Not Evaluated	Harmless

Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually


More information
Countries FAO areas Ecosystems Occurrences Introductions Ecology Diet Food items Food consumption Ration	Common names Synonyms Metabolism Predators Ecotoxicology Reproduction Maturity Spawning Eggs Egg development	Age/Size Growth Length-weight Length-length Length-frequencies Morphometrics Morphology Larvae Larval dynamics Recruitment	Other references Biblio Aquaculture Aquaculture profile Strains Genetics Allele frequencies Heritability Diseases Processing	Collaborators Pictures Stamps Sounds Ciguatera Speed Swim. type Gill area Otoliths Brains Vision

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Internet sources

Estimation of some characteristics with mathematical models

Resilience (Ref. 69278)

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2; tmax=6)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100)	Low

Entered by Binohlan, Crispina B.

Modified by Kesner-Reyes, Kathleen

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Page last modified by : elaxamana, 15 July 2009

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