Herring

Belly convex in front, with 29 to 35 scutes. Mouth pointing obliquely upward; lower gill rakers 22 to 28, increasing with size of fish. Pectoral fin usually about equal to head length or greater; dorsal fin small, well behind midpoint of body; anal fin long, its origin well before dorsal fin origin.

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 51 - 63

Feeds on fish, benthic and planktonic invertebrates (Ref. 188).

Found close to shore and also entering estuaries (e.g. Aluhaluh on Barito River in Kalimantan, Indonesia). Ascends rivers into the tidal zone (Ref. 12693). Feeds on mysids, Pseudodiaptomus and copepod eggs, also prawns and other small crustaceans, bivalve eggs and larvae, amphipods and small fishes. Spawns in late February or early March to July or August (around Karwar, India). Used as fish meal or fertilizer (Ref. 4832).

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

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起阿曼灣、印度、新加坡、印尼至香港及臺灣等皆產。臺灣分布於北部、西部及澎湖海域等。

主要漁法為焚寄網、底拖網及流刺網，數量較少，經濟價值較低。體薄肉少，通常曬成魚乾出售，或製成魚粉作為飼料之原料。

體長而寬，極側扁；頭背凹入。背緣窄；腹緣有完整之稜鱗，共約29-32個。頭中大，側扁。吻短鈍，上翹，吻長明顯短於眼徑。口略小，向上傾斜而近垂直；上頜骨末端圓形且不延長，僅可達瞳孔之下方；下頜的前端向上突出；兩頜、腭骨及舌上具細齒；鰓耙稀疏，第一鰓弓下枝鰓耙數22-24。體被圓鱗，鱗中大，易脫落，側線鱗數51-52枚。背鰭起始於體後部，具16-17軟條；臀鰭長，具59-61分枝之軟條；無腹鰭；尾鰭叉形。體背藍褐色，體側銀白色；口緣黑色；鰓蓋後上角具一暗色斑點。各鰭淡色，背、胸鰭上部及尾鰭後部具暗斑。

沿近海中上層魚類，以小型無脊椎動物為食。亦常可於河口區及內灣區發現。