European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) fish species and information / pictures of European pilchard - Sardina pilchardus

European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Sardina pilchardus

Common Name
European pilchard

Biology
Littoral species (Ref. 6808). Form schools, usually at depths of 25 to 55 or even 100 m by day, rising to 10 to 35 m at night. Feed mainly on planktonic crustaceans, also on larger organisms. Spawn in batches (Ref. 51846), in the open sea or near the coast, producing 50,000-60,000 eggs with a mean diameter of 1.5 mm (Ref. 35388). Marketed fresh, frozen or canned. Also utilized dried or salted and smoked; can be pan-fried, broiled and microwaved (Ref. 9988).

Classification

Classified By

Walbaum, 1792

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Northeast Atlantic

Distribution

Northeast Atlantic: Iceland (rare) and North Sea, southward to Bay de Gor?e, Senegal. Mediterranean (common in the western part and in Adriatic Sea, rare in the eastern part), Sea of Marmara and Black Sea.

Range

68°N - 14°N, 32°W - 43°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 10 - 100 m (Ref. 5286), usually 25 - 100 m (Ref. 54866)

Trophic Level

3.05 s.e. 0.19 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

27.5 cm

Common Length

20.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.23-0.5; tm=1-2; tmax=15)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated