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Species: Sardinella aurita, Round sardinella, Spanish sardine

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semi-cylindrical
top jaw no central notch
rear of gill opening - 2 fleshy lobes
operculum corner: +/- black spot
pelvic I,8
D no filament
nape scales paired
belly fully scuted
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This Species (7) This Genus (1) Similar Species (5)

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Sardinella aurita Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1847

Round sardinella, Spanish sardine

Elongate, semi-cylindrical; 8-10 ridges on paired (fronto-parietal) bone on top of head behind eyes; top jaw without a notch at front, with only 2  toothed bones; rear of top jaw with an extra, symmetrical paddle-shaped bone; operculum smooth; rear edge of gill opening on body with 2 distinct forward pointing fleshy lobes; lower gill rakers usually 45-90, but up to 200, front gill rakers on lower limb of 2nd and 3rd gill arches lie ~flat (not curled); last 2 anal fin rays enlarged; last dorsal fin ray not elongated; pelvic fins on the abdomen, insert under center of dorsal fin base, i, 8; a forked tail fin; scales on center of back before dorsal fin paired; belly with a complete row of scutes (hard spiny scales).

Dark blue above, sides silvery; fins clear; a faint golden stripe along midside; a faint gold spot at front of stripe; usually a black spot at top corner of operculum.

Reaches 35.5 cm.

Coastal pelagic in clear waters; inshore and offshore over the entire continental shelf.

Depth range: 0-350 m.

Both sides of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; Maine to northern S America.

Note: Sardinella brasiliensis apparently is restricted to the SW Atlantic.

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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Surface
  • Near Surface
  • Mid Water
  • Water column only
  • Near Bottom
Habitat
  • Water column
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Phytoplankton
  • Zooplankton
Egg Type
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
  • Pelagic
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • Transatlantic (East+West Atlantic)
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • All species..
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • Continent + Island (s)
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 350
Length Max
  • 35.5