South American pilchard (Sardinops sagax) fish species and information / pictures of South American pilchard - Sardinops sagax

South American pilchard (Sardinops sagax) fish species information

Scientific Name
Sardinops sagax

Common Name
South American pilchard

Biology
Neritic (Ref. 11230). A coastal species that forms large schools (Ref. 188). Occur at temperatures ranging from 16? to 23?C in summer and from 10? to 18?C in winter. Feed mainly on planktonic crustaceans. Young fish feed on zooplankton such as copepod and adults on phytoplankton (Ref. 39882). Oviparous, with pelagic eggs, and pelagic larvae (Ref. 265). Possibly can live up to 25 years (Ref. 265). In the California region, pilchards make northward migrations early in summer and travel back south again in autumn. With each year of life, the migration becomes farther (Ref. 6885). Marketed fresh, frozen or canned. Utilized mainly for fish meal; but also eaten fried and broiled (Ref. 9988). Main source of landing: NE Pacific: Mexico (Ref. 4931).

Classification

Classified By

Jenyns, 1842

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: southern Africa to the eastern Pacific (Ref. 27267). Three lineages were confirmed through cluster and parsimony analyses of haplotypic divergences: southern Africa (ocellatus) and Australia (neopilchardus); Chile (sagax) and California (caeruleus); and, Japan (melanostictus) (Ref. 36641).

Range

61°N - 47°S, 145°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

9 °C

Water Temperature To

21 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 200 m (Ref. 188)

Trophic Level

2.43 s.e. 0.12 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

39.5 cm

Common Length

20.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; bait: usually

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.45; tm=2; tmax=13-25; Fec=10,000)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated