''Spirinchus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

smelt Smelt may refer to: * Smelting, chemical process * The common name of various fish: ** Smelt (fish), a family of small fish, Osmeridae ** Australian smelt in the family Retropinnidae and species ''Retropinna semoni'' ** Big-scale sand smelt ''At ...

s (

Osmeridae Smelts are a family of small fish, the Osmeridae, found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans, as well as rivers, streams and lakes in Europe, North America and Northeast Asia. They are also known as freshwater smelts or typical smelts ...

) from the North Pacific Ocean and adjacent streams.

Species

There are currently three recognized species in this genus: * ''

Spirinchus lanceolatus , or ''Spirinchus lanceolatus'', is an anadromous smelt native to Hokkaido, Japan. Description This fish averages 15 centimeters in length, with a maximum recorded length of 70 cm. It is generally dark on the back with a silver-white undersid ...

'' ( Hikita, 1913) (Shishamo smelt, shishamo) * ''

Spirinchus starksi The Night smelt (''Spirinchus starksi'') is a true smelt of the northern family Osmeridae and part of the larger order Osmeriformes. The family of the true smelt consists of 12 species; 7 of which are native to California’s estuary and coastal ...

'' ( Fisk, 1913) (Night smelt) * ''

Spirinchus thaleichthys ''Spirinchus'' is a genus of smelt (fish), smelts (Osmeridae) from the North Pacific Ocean and adjacent streams. Species There are currently three recognized species in this genus: * ''Spirinchus lanceolatus'' (Toyoji Hikita, Hikita, 1913) (Shis ...

'' ( Ayres, 1860) (Longfin smelt)

References

* Extant Pliocene first appearances Marine fish genera Taxa named by David Starr Jordan Taxa named by Barton Warren Evermann {{Osmeriformes-stub