Sardinella Valenciennes, 1847
Description (by P.J.P. Whitehead)
Small to medium-sized herring-like fishes, the body moderately to strongly compressed and in the latter forms the belly with a very sharp keel of scutes. Hind border of gill-opening with two distinct fleshy outgrowths; 7-14 frontoparietal striae (on top of head); lower part of paddle-shaped second supra-maxilla about equal to upper part. Last two anal finrays enlarged.
Distribution
Coastal pelagic or beyond shelf and down to 300 m, some species tolerant of low salinities, usually forming large shoals, many species strongly migratory; feeding largely on zooplankton, but also phytoplankton; breeding in upper water layers, eggs planktonic and scattered.
Recent revisions: Wongratana, 1980 (Indo-Pacific species), Whitehead, 1981.
Species included on this CD-rom:
Sardinella fimbriata (Valenciennes)