Genus: Alosa, Shad Herring, Shads

ALOSA

SHADS

Relatively deep bodied, moderately compressed; mouth short, upper jaw with a distinct central notch into which the lower jaw fits; jaw teeth small or absent; 30-130 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, no filament; pelvic fins i, 8, below dorsal fin; anal fin relatively short based, well behind dorsal fin base; a forked tail fin; all of centerline of belly with scutes (hard, spiny scales), scute before pelvics not W shaped; no enlarged scales before dorsal fin; scales smooth, well attached.

A genus or marine, estuarine and freshwater fishes found in Europe and the E and W Atlantic; with 15 species; 4 of the 5 N American species occur in our region.