The herring group includes herrings, menhadens (men-HAY-dens), pilchards (PILL-churds), sardines, shads, sprats, and anchovies. Herrings are small and have streamlined bodies that aid them in swimming fast in open water. The smallest herring is the Sanaga pygmy herring, with a length of only about three-fourths inch (2.1 centimeters). Male wolf herrings are the largest herring, with an average len…
Nearly all herrings live in open water. Four-fifths of all species live in saltwater habitats ranging from near-shore zones to nearly 100 miles (161 kilometers) offshore. Many herrings swim near the surface at night but move to deeper waters during the day. Some herrings live in inland waters or move inland to spawn, or release eggs. These species live in bays; estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), which …
Most herrings eat plankton, or microscopic (MY-kro-SKA-pihk) plants and animals drifting in the water that are too small to be seen with the eye. Herrings prefer plankton that consists of crustaceans (krus-TAY-shuns), or water-dwelling animals that have jointed legs and a hard shell but no backbone, and the larvae (LAR-vee) of larger crustaceans and fishes. Larvae are the early stage of an animal …
Herrings are best known for forming large schools. Being in large groups helps the fish swim efficiently and discourages predators (PREH-duh-terz) or other fish that may hunt them for food. Herrings also form smaller, less-organized groups called shoals, particularly during spawning season. Some herrings migrate, or travel, from the ocean to streams and rivers for spawning. Many herrings make dail…
Physical characteristics: Bay anchovies are typically 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 centimeters) in total length. They are nearly transparent and greenish and have a silvery band along the sides of the body. The snout overhangs the mouth, and the lower jawbone extends well beyond the eye. Geographic range: Bay anchovies live along the Atlantic coast of North America from Maine to the Florida Keys and…
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments Add a comment…