New Zealand sprat (Sprattus muelleri)

Scientific name: Sprattus muelleri Klunzinger, 1879

New Zealand sprat (Sprattus muelleri)

The New Zealand sprat (Sprattus muelleri) 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: 43 - 47. Gill cover without bony radiating striae; tooth plate on tongue narrow, pointed at each end, its width about 4 or 5 times in length, lateral teeth moderate; scales without fine striae on exposed posterior part; back green-gray when fresh. Pterotic bulla absent. Last two anal rays normal.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Sprattus muelleri
Family
Clupeidae (Herrings, shads and sardines)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
13.0
Common length
10.0
Depth range
28–110 m (92–361 ft)
Environment
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 28 - 110 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
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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