Pacific menhaden (Ethmidium maculatum) fish species and information / pictures of Pacific menhaden - Ethmidium maculatum

Pacific menhaden (Ethmidium maculatum) fish species information

Scientific Name
Ethmidium maculatum

Common Name
Pacific menhaden

Biology
Occurs in coastal waters, forming large schools. Feeds by filtering phytoplankton (diatoms) and zooplankton (especially copepods), but will also take small fishes and crustaceans. Breeds in spring (Chile), depositing its eggs in coastal waters on sand, to which the sticky eggs cling, the larvae rising and joining the surface plankton on hatching. Marketed fresh, frozen, or canned.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1847

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Southwest Pacific

Distribution

Southwest Pacific: Peru (Puerto Pizarro in Gulf of Guayaquil to Callao and Pisco Bay; presumably to border with Chile, but no records) and Chile (whole coast south to Talcahuano).

Range

0° - 37°S, 86°W - 70°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

50 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 188)

Trophic Level

2.07 s.e. 0.06 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

26.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown 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: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Assuming tm=1)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Data deficient (DD)