Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Clupeiformes (Herrings) >
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens)
Etymology: Opisthopterus: Greek, opisthe = behind + Greek, pteron = wing. Fin (Ref. 45335). More on author: Hildebrand.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic. Tropical; 13°N - 5°S, 88°W - 77°W (Ref. 188)
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 188)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 56 - 62. Belly with 26 to 28 scutes. Lower jaw projecting, mouth pointing obliquely upward; no hypo-maxilla. Dorsal fin origin nearer to caudal fin base than to vertical from pectoral fin base by about 2 eye diameters (or behind midpoint of body by about 3 eye diameters); anal fin long, its origin much nearer to snout tip than to caudal fin base. Scales easily shed.
Eastern Pacific: Costa Rica to Guayaquil Gulf, Peru.
Occurs in coastal waters, perhaps entering water with low salinities (Ref. 9336).
Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00831 (-0.15099 - 0.16761), b=3.07 (2.99 - 3.16), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.6 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (18 of 100) .