South American pilchard
Pacific Sarding ( Sardinops sagax ), here Sardinops sagax caeruleus the subspecies.
The Pacific sardine ( Sardinops sagax ) is a herring -like fish shoal of tropical and subtropical Pacific. The Red List of Threatened Species classifies him as " not threatened " a. Previously, the subspecies were classified as separate species in the genus Sardinops, Sardinops sagax today is the only way to so monotypic genus. In commercial fisheries, the Pacific sardine is very significant.
Description
The Pacific sardine has a spindle-shaped body and a relatively large head with big eyes. It usually reaches a height of about 20 centimeters standard length. The eyes have so-called fat eyelids. Along the silvery flanks are a series of small, dark spots. The back shows a blue- green tint. All fins are made exclusively from soft rays. The dorsal fin contains 13 to 21 rays, the anal fin 12 to 23 The caudal fin is split.
Distribution, habitat and biology
The distribution of Pacific sardine extends from the west coast of the American continent double over the Pacific Ocean, the Malay Archipelago and the Indo-Pacific area further to the coasts of Africa, there also to the Atlantic coast.
The collection is divided into five different subspecies, Sardinops sagax sagax in the waters around Chile, Sardinops sagax caeruleus in California, Sardinops sagax melanosticus in Japan, Sardinops sagax neopilchardus in Australia and Sardinops sagax ocellatus to Africa. The Californian populations company in early summer hikes to the north and return in the fall.
The Pacific sardine lives in large flocks pelagic near the coast. Occasionally swarms with common Japanese mackerel are formed. Larvae and eggs are also pelagic. Juveniles feed on zooplankton, adult specimens mainly from phytoplankton.