Genus: Rhinosardinia, Spinejaw Herring, Spinejaw Sprats
top jaw - no central notch
top jaw - spine points back
rear edge gill opening - no fleshy lobes
full row belly scutes
RHINOSARDINIA
SPINEJAW SPRATS
Elongate, compressed; mouth oblique, lower jaw projecting; top jaw short, ends at level of front edge of pupil; front of top jaws with no central notch; rear edge of front of top jaw bone at level of center of eye with a sharp back-directed spine; rear edge of gill opening evenly rounded, without fleshy lobes; anal fin relatively short based, 15-18 rays; pelvic fins on the abdomen below the dorsal fin; a forked tail fin; lower body profile with series of keeled sharp scutes (hard spiny scales) from under throat to anus; each scale with a pair of distinct parallel skin lines.
A genus with 2 primarily freshwater species in the Orinoco-Amazon area.
