Aol

No bright silver along band flanks, maxilla toothless; pre-maxillae triangular, 2 supra-maxillae, second supra-maxilla paddle-shaped and symmetrical; vertical striate on scales meeting at center, posterior margin of scales smooth, pre-dorsal scales 8 to 13; W-shaped pelvic scute, few branchiostegal rays (6 or 7).Description: Characterized by depth of body 4.7-5.6 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Oviparous (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 10 - 11

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf. A schooling species (Refs. 75154, 127989). Zooplanktivorous. Pelagic inshore (Ref. 127989).

Pelagic (Ref. 68964). Usually an inshore schooling species, inhabiting relatively clear coastal waters, lagoons, and along reef margins. Feeds near surface on plankton. Found in large schools (Ref. 9710). Pelagic (Ref. 58302). Marketed fresh or dried-salted (Ref. 5213) and used as tuna baitfish.

fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually; price category: low; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

分布於印度-太平洋區海域，西起紅海和東非，東至社會群島，北至日本南部，南至澳洲北部。台灣分布於南部及澎湖海域。

可生鮮、乾製或醃漬出售。主要漁法為流刺網、圍網與巾著網。

體延長而側扁，腹部圓鈍，無稜鱗。頭較小。吻鈍。眼大，上側位，脂性眼瞼少或缺如。口小，端位；上下頜約等長；上頜骨末端達眼前緣下方；上頜無齒。鰓蓋條數6-7；下枝鰓耙數27-30。體被細薄圓鱗，極易脫落，縱列鱗32-36個；胸鰭和腹鰭基部具腋鱗1片。背鰭位於體中部前方，具軟條11-13；臀鰭位於體之後半部，具軟條9-10；腹鰭軟條8；尾鰭深叉。體背部淺褐色，體側下方和腹部灰白色；體側中部無銀白色寬縱帶。背鰭、尾鰭淡灰白色；餘鰭淡色。

沿近海中上層洄游性中小型魚類，主要活動於清澈水域的沿岸、潟湖及珊瑚礁緣等海域。群游性。以浮游生物，如矽藻、橈腳類及其它小型無脊椎動物為主要食物。

Spratelloides delicatulus, the blue sprat, also known as the delicate round herring, blueback sprat, or piha, is a type of sprat-like fish of Indo-Pacific distribution.

Usually an inshore schooling species, inhabiting relatively clear coastal waters, lagoons, and along reef margins. Feeds near surface on plankton. Found in large schools (Ref. 9710). Caught with beach seines, purse seines, ringnets and dipnets. Marketed fresh or dried-salted (Ref. 5213).