Small sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) fish species and information / pictures of Small sandeel - Ammodytes tobianus

Small sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Ammodytes tobianus

Common Name
Small sandeel

Biology
Territorial; found in inshore waters, especially sandy bays and beaches, including the inter-tidal zone and estuaries; rarely offshore. Alternate between lying buried in the sandy substrate and swimming in schools in the water mass. Adults feed on zooplankton and some large diatoms (Ref. 3397). They hibernate in winter buried in sand at depths of 20-50 cm (Ref. 35388).

Classification

Classified By
Linnaeus, 1758
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Perch-like fish (Perciformes)
Family
Sand lances (Ammodytidae)

Distribution

Region
Northeast Atlantic
Distribution
Northeast Atlantic: Murmansk to Spain, including Iceland and the Baltic (Ref. 4674) and the Mediterranean (Ref. 39911). Two distinct but often sympatric spawning groups exist in the area but have not been given subspecies status although spawning groups differ in mean vertebral number (autumn higher than spring), otolith structure, and probably habitats.
Range
72°N - 36°N, 23°W - 42°E

Environment

Climate
Temperate
Water Temperature From
Unknown °C
Water Temperature To
Unknown °C
Depth From - meters
1 m
Depth To - meters
96 m
Zone
demersal
Environment
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 1 - 96 m (Ref. 57178)
Trophic Level
3.11 s.e. 0.29 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
True
Occurs in Fresh Water
False
Occurs on Reefs
False
Is kept in Aquariums
False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
20.0 cm
Common Length
Unknown cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5156 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Fisheries: highly commercial; bait: usually
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (23 of 100)
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.45-0.77; tm=1-2; tmax=7)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Not Evaluated