Alosa fallax (Lacepède, 1803)

Twaite shad

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

Taxonomic issue	5 subspecies known.
Classification	Actinopterygii \| Clupeiformes \| Clupeidae
Synonyms	Clupea fallax, Alosa fallax fallax, Alosa africana, ... more
Common names	Alose feinte, Twaite, Twait Shad, ... more

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AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS

Main reference

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

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 60.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35388); common length : 40.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2945); max. published weight: 1,500 g (Ref. 188); max. reported age: 25 years (Ref. 556)

Environment

Pelagic-neritic; anadromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - ? m

Climate / Range

Temperate; 70°N - 27°N, 25°W - 42°E

Northeast Atlantic: from southern coasts of Scandinavia to the coast of Morocco, including the British Islands and the Baltic Sea (Ref. 188, Ref. 51442). Also whole of Mediterranean Sea (Ref. 188, Ref. 51442), including the Black Sea (Ref. 26334). Some subspecies have been recognized mainly on the basis of gill raker counts (Ref. 188). In Appendix III of the Bern Convention (protected fauna).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 16; Anal spines: 3 - 4; Anal soft rays: 16 - 22; Vertebrae: 55 - 59. Body somewhat compressed, moderately deep but depth at pectoral fin less than head length (Ref. 188, Ref. 51442). Upper jaw notched, lower jaw fitting into it (Ref. 188). Gill rakers fairly short and stout, total 30 to 80, shorter than gill filaments (Ref. 188). Large, thin scales (Ref. 51442). Scutes apparent along belly (Ref. 188). A dark spot posterior to gill opening, followed by 7 or 8 similar spots along flank ( but sometimes faint or absent) (Ref. 188). Also Ref. 2196.

Amphihaline species (Ref. 51442), schooling and strongly migratory, but apparently not penetrating far up rivers (Ref. 188). Enters tidal parts of rivers in May or early June to spawn there or a little above (Ref. 188, Ref. 51442). Spawning takes place at night over sand or gravel, at a temperature range of 15-20°C. Adults return to sea after spawning, and could later return to spawn a second or third time (Ref. 51442). Eggs are demersal, scattered over gravel or sand (Ref. 188). The fry move down river as they develop (Ref. 188). Ichthyophagous, feeds on small fishes and crustaceans, the young taking the fry of herrings, sprats and gobies (Ref. 188, Ref. 51442). Suffers from river pollution and to some extent from river barrages (Ref. 188). Sexually mature at an age of 3-4 years and a length of 30-40 cm (Ref. 35388).


IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 57073)	Threat to humans
Least Concern (LC)	Harmless

Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial


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 (K=0.21-0.38; tm=2-7; tmax=25)


Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)	Price category (Ref. 80766)
Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100)	Low

Entered by Binohlan, Crispina B.

Modified by Bailly, Nicolas

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Page last modified by : elaxamana, 15 July 2009

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