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Herklotsichthys castelnaui (Ogilby, 1897) Castelnau's herring |
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photo by
Yau, B. |
| Family: | Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas) | |||
| Max. size: | 20 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m | |||
| Distribution: | Southwest Pacific: eastern Australia (Queensland southward to New South Wales). Possibly merely an eastern subspecies, of which Herklotsichthys blackburni is the western counterpart; however, it seems equally close to Herklotsichthys Species C. Reported from lower Fly River, Papua New Guinea (Ref. 13533). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-19; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 17-21; Vertebrae: 41-42. Distinguished from most other Australian Herklotsichthys by lacking spots on the flank and lacking elongate wing-like scales underneath pre-dorsal scales. Most closely resembles H. blackburni but has more lower gill rakers. Separated from H. gotoi and Herklotsichthys species C by having 3 distinct dark lines upper flank. Upper caudal tip black; dorsal fin with distinct pale band. | |||
| Biology: | Schooling species found in estuarine and coastal marine waters (Ref. 33617, 75154). Adults undergo spawning migration from coastal waters into upper reaches of estuaries during summer and autumn (Ref. 33617). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2017 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||