Species: Alosa alabamae, Alabama shad
gill rakers 41-48
no teeth
Alosa alabamae Jordan & Evermann, 1896
Alabama shad
Relatively deep bodied, moderately compressed; upper jaw with a distinct central notch into which the lower jaw fits, lower jaw not projecting when mouth is closed, its top edge not rising steeply within mouth; jaw teeth absent; 41-48 slender lower gill rakers, upper rakers long, folding down over lower ones; gill rakers on rear surface of upper part of 3rd gill arch; dorsal fin at about mid-body; pelvic fins (i, 8) below dorsal fin; anal fin short and well behind dorsal fin base; a forked tail fin; all of centerline of belly with keel of scutes (hard, spiny scales); no scutes before dorsal fin; scales smooth, well attached.
Upper back bluey grey, with dark streaks along scale rows, shading to silver below; a vague dark spot behind gill cover of adults; fins clear.
Reaches 61 cm.
Coastal pelagic, enters freshwater and brackish water to spawn.
Depth range: 0-5 m.
The Gulf of Mexico.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Brackish
- Freshwater
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Surface
- Water column only
- Near Surface
- Mid Water
- Habitat
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- Freshwater
- Estuary
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
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- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Carnivore
- Planktivore
- Diet
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- Bony fishes
- Phytoplankton
- Insects
- Data
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
-
- Benthic
- Data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent only
- All species
- Continent
- GC endemic
- Gulf of Mexico endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Data deficient
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Depth Range Max
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- 5
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Length Max
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- 61
