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  • snout > eye
    back blue; dark shoulder spot
    Alosa aestivalis, Blueback herring, Blueback shad
    top edge of lower jaw rises steeply within mouth
    gill rakers 41-51
    jaw teeth minute/absent
    lining of gut cavity dark/black
  • vague shoulder spot
    Alosa alabamae, Alabama shad
    lower jaw not projecting, top edge not rising steeply within mouth
    gill rakers 41-48
    no teeth
  • body depth < head length
    shoulder: no dark spot
    Alosa chrysochloris, Skipjack herring, Skipjack shad
    lower jaw projecting, its top edge not rising steeply within mouth
    jaw teeth present
    gill rakers 20-24
  • dark shoulder spot
    Alosa sapidissima, American shad
    lower jaw not projecting, its top edge not rising steeply within mouth
    jaw teeth minute/absent
    gill rakers 59-73
  • 1 shoulder spot
    Brevoortia gunteri, Finescale menhaden
    pectoral tip reaches to 1-2 scales from pelvic base
    pelvic: oblique edge, inner rays shorter
    belly scutes 27-30
  • shoulder: strong spot then a row small spots
    Brevoortia patronus, Gulf menhaden
    pelvic fin: rounded edge, inner rays ~= outer rays
    belly scutes 28-32
  • shoulder - 1 spot
    Brevoortia smithi, Yellowfin menhaden
    pectoral tip reaches to 3-5 scales from pelvic base
    pelvic: oblique edge, inner rays shorter
    belly scutes 30-32
  • shoulder: black spot then up to 6 lines small spot
    Brevoortia tyrannus, Atlantic menhaden, the menhaden
    pelvic fin: rounded edge, inner rays ~= outer rays
    belly: 30-32 scutes
  • snout bulbous, fleshy, overhangs mouth
    Dorosoma cepedianum, American gizzard shad, Gizzard shad
    A 25-36
    lateral scales 52-70
  • snout pointed, not overhanging mouth
    black shoulder spot
    Dorosoma petenense, Threadfin shad
    A 17-25
    lateral scales 41-48
  • slender, cylindrical
    pectoral 15-16
    pelvics behind D base
    Etrumeus sadina, West Atlantic round herring
    gill rakers 51
    single belly scute, W shaped, between pelvics
    A 10-13
  • dark spot BEHIND gill cover
    D no black tip
    Harengula clupeola, False herring, False pilchard
    gill rakers 30-32
    tongue: width of 2 tooth plates = 20-33% combined length
    pectoral 19-22% SL
    pelvic inserts nearer pectoral base than to A
  • orange spot behind operculum, orange stripes on body
    D tip black
    Harengula humeralis, Redear herring
    tongue: width of 2 tooth plates = 10% combined length
  • dark spot BEHIND gill cover
    D no black tip
    Harengula jaguana, Scaled herring, Scaled sardine
    gill rakers 32-39
    tongue: width of 2 tooth plates = 20-33% combined length
    pectoral 22-25% SL
    pelvic inserts mid-way pectoral base to A
  • Jenkinsia lamprotaenia, Dwarf herring, Dwarf round herring
    top jaw - front with teeth
    isthmus under throat - slender, slight shoulders at front base
  • Jenkinsia majua, Little-eye herring
    top jaw - front without teeth
    isthmus under throat - distinct blunt shoulders at front base
  • silver stripe narrows & fades at rear
    Jenkinsia parvula, Shortstriped round herring
    top jaw - front with teeth
    isthmus under throat - triangular, no front shoulders
  • silver stripe NOT narrowing or fading at rear
    Jenkinsia stolifera, Shortband herring, Florida round herring
    top jaw - front with teeth
    isthmus under throat - triangular, no front shoulders
  • top jaw - no central notch
    tail base spot
    Lile piquitinga, Atlantic piquitinga
    rear edge gill opening - no fleshy lobes
    pelvic I, 7
    belly - ridge of strongly keeled scutes
  • top jaw - no central notch
    D last ray = long filament
    Opisthonema oglinum, Atlantic thread herring
    rear of gill opening - 2 fleshy lobes
    pelvic I,7
    full row belly scutes
  • top jaw - no central notch
    Rhinosardinia amazonica, Shortband herring, Amazon spinejaw sprat
    top jaw - spine points back
    rear edge gill opening - no fleshy lobes
    full row belly scutes
  • semi-cylindrical
    top jaw no central notch
    rear of gill opening - 2 fleshy lobes
    operculum corner: +/- black spot
    Sardinella aurita, Spanish sardine, Round sardinella
    pelvic I,8
    D no filament
    nape scales paired
    belly fully scuted