Bloch's gizzard shad (Nematalosa nasus)

Scientific name: Nematalosa nasus Bloch, 1795

Bloch's gizzard shad (Nematalosa nasus)

The Bloch's gizzard shad (Nematalosa nasus) is a freshwater fish of the family Clupeidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 26. Dark bluish dorsally, silvery below. A dark spot behind gill opening. Belly with 17 to 20 (usually 18) + 9 to 13 (usually 11), total 28 to 32 (usually 30) scutes. Anterior arm of pre-operculum with the third infra-orbital bone immediately above it, no fleshy gap between; lower jaw strongly flared outward. Pectoral axillary scale present; hind edge of scales distinctly toothed.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Nematalosa nasus
Family
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads and sardines)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
22.0
Common length
15.0
Depth range
0–30 m (0–98 ft)
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; anadromous; depth range 0 - 30 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Aden north to the Persian Gulf, then eastward to the Andaman Sea, South China Sea and the Philippines, and north to southern tip of Korea. Single record from South Africa.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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