New Zealand blueback sprat (Sprattus antipodum)

Scientific name: Sprattus antipodum Hector, 1872

New Zealand blueback sprat (Sprattus antipodum)

The New Zealand blueback sprat (Sprattus antipodum) is a marine fish of the family Clupeidae. Native range: Southwest Pacific, New Zealand.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-21; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 23; Vertebrae: 48 - 51. Upper jaw rounded and not notched on frontal view. Gill cover without bony radiating striae; tooth plate on tongue broad, almost oval, width about 3 times in length, lateral teeth strong; scales with fine radiating or horizontal striae on exposed posterior part; back steel blue when fresh. Pterotic bulla absent. Last two anal rays normal.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Sprattus antipodum
Family
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads and sardines)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
12.0
Common length
9.0
Depth range
0–72 m (0–236 ft)
Environment
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 72 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; bait: occasionally
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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