Bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) fish species and information / pictures of Bonga shad - Ethmalosa fimbriata

Bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) fish species information

Scientific Name
Ethmalosa fimbriata

Common Name
Bonga shad

Biology
Occurs in inshore waters, lagoons and more than 300 km up rivers (e.g. Gambia River). Feeds by filtering phytoplankton, chiefly diatoms. Breeds throughout the year in waters of salinities 3.5-38 ppt, but with peaks in at least some areas. Spawns in the sea, in estuaries and rivers. Feeds on phytoplankton, chiefly diatoms. Marketed fresh, also smoked and dried.

Classification

Classified By

Bowdich, 1825

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Herrings (Clupeiformes)

Family

Herrings, shads and sardines (Clupeidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Central Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Central Atlantic: Dakhla, Western Sahara to at least Lobito, Angola, corresponding to the extreme northerly and southerly limits of the 25?C isotherms throughout the year; dwarf population exist in Lake Nokou?, Benin. Cape Verde records based on erroneous type locality for Ethmalosa fimbriata by Bowdich - followed by later authors.

Range

25°N - 8°S, 17°W - 14°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; catadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - ? m (Ref. 54436), usually 0 - 50 m (Ref. 54436)

Trophic Level

2.5 s.e. 0.00 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

45.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 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; aquaculture: experimental

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.25-0.36; tm=1; Fec=16,000)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)