''Sardinella'' 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 ...
of
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
in the
family Dorosomatidae found in the
Atlantic,
Indian and
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
s. They are abundant in warmer waters of the
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
and
subtropical oceans. Adults are generally coastal,
schooling,
marine fish but juveniles are often found in
lagoon
A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
s and
estuaries.
These
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
are distinguished by their ranges and by specific body features, but they are often confused with one another. Fish of the genus have seven to 14 striped markings along the
scales of the top of the head. The paddle-shaped
supramaxilla bones are characteristic; they separate ''Sardinella'' from other genera and their shapes help distinguish species. They have paired predorsal scales and enlarged
fin rays.
Species
There are currently 27 recognized species in this genus:
[
* '' Sardinella albella'' ( Valenciennes, 1847) (White sardinella)
* '' Sardinella alcyone'' Hata & Motomura, 2019 (Blueback sardinella)
* '' Sardinella atricauda'' ( Günther, 1868) (Bleeker's blacktip sardinella)
* '' Sardinella aurita'' Valenciennes, 1847 (Round sardinella)
* '' Sardinella brachysoma'' Bleeker, 1852 (Deep-body sardinella)
* '' Sardinella brasiliensis'' ( Steindachner, 1879) (Brazilian sardinella)
* '' Sardinella dayi'' Regan, 1917 (Day's sardinella)
* '' Sardinella electra'' Hata & Motomura, 2019]
References
{{Authority control
Dorosomatidae
Extant Eocene first appearances
Marine fish genera
Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes