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Opisthonema oglinum — Details

Atlantic Thread Herring learn more about names for this taxon

Overview

Comprehensive Description

Biology

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Inhabit harbors and shallow coastal areas (Ref. 9710). Form schools (but solitary individuals reported), probably not entering water of low salinity. Feed by filtering plankton (copepods), but also take small fishes, crabs and shrimps. Marketed fresh, frozen and salted; also used in the fishmeal industry. Occur in freshwater in St. Johns River, Florida (Ref. 26938).

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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Distribution

Distribution

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Western Atlantic: from Gulf of Maine (USA), Bermuda, throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and West Indies southward to Santa Caterina, Brazil

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS) http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=2901

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Distribution

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Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, North West Atlantic

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS) http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=2901
Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.php?p=sourcedetails&id=145245

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Western Atlantic: Gulf of Maine (USA), Bermuda, throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and West Indies southward to Santa Catarina, Brazil. The Colombian form is possibly a subspecies, Opisthonema oglinum captivai. Also found in Uruguay (Ref. 54736) and Argentina (Ref. 2806).

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

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National Distribution

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United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

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Global Range: Western Atlantic region, Cape Cod, Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil (Robins and Ray 1986).

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Physical Description

Morphology

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Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19 - 21; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 23 - 24

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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Size

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Length: 18 cm

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Maximum size: 380 mm TL

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Max. size

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38.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)); max. published weight: 375 g (Ref. 5217)

Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez 1992 Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD. (Ref. 5217) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=5217&speccode=7572

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Diagnostic Description

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The filamentous last dorsal fin ray distinguishes this species from all other western Atlantic clupeoids except Dorosoma, which has an inferior mouth (Ref. 188). Otherwise, superficially resembles species of Sardinella (but i 8 pelvic fin rays in western Atlantic species, cf. i 7 in Opisthonema) and Harengula (but small toothed hypomaxilla in upper jaw) (Ref. 188). Lower gill rakers stable at 28 to 46 after 8 cm (Ref. 188). Silvery, with a bluish or greenish back, 6-7 lengthwise dark streaks on side. Dark spot above opercle, larger dark spot behind opercle, usually with a row of dark spots behind it. Lower profile deeply curved. Head pointed (Ref. 7251).

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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Type Information

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Paratype for Opisthonema oglinum
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Year Collected: 1968
Locality: 22 km. North of Punta Caribana, Colombia., Colombia, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic
Depth (m): 15 to 15
Vessel: Oregon II

Paratype: Rivas, L. R. 1972. Copeia. 1972 (1): 1-3.

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Paratype for Opisthonema oglinum
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Year Collected: 1968
Locality: Caribbean Sea 12 N. mi. N of Punta Caribann, Colombia, Colombia, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic
Depth (m): 15 to 15
Vessel: Oregon II

Paratype: Rivas, L. R. 1972. Copeia. 1972 (1): 1-3.

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Holotype for Opisthonema oglinum
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Year Collected: 1968
Locality: Caribbean Sea 12 N. mi. N of Punta Caribana, Colombia, Colombia, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic
Depth (m): 15 to 15
Vessel: Oregon II

Holotype: Rivas, L. R. 1972. Copeia. 1972 (1): 1-3.

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Paratype for Opisthonema oglinum
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): S. Meek & S. Hildebrand
Year Collected: 1911
Locality: Porto Bello, Panama, Panama, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic

Paratype:

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Ecology

Habitat

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Depth range based on 1456 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 407 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 205
  Temperature range (°C): 9.635 - 27.366
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.286 - 14.710
  Salinity (PPS): 32.780 - 36.527
  Oxygen (ml/l): 3.453 - 6.494
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.006 - 1.177
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.756 - 6.435

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 205

Temperature range (°C): 9.635 - 27.366

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.286 - 14.710

Salinity (PPS): 32.780 - 36.527

Oxygen (ml/l): 3.453 - 6.494

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.006 - 1.177

Silicate (umol/l): 0.756 - 6.435

Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

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Habitat Type: Marine

Comments: Generally oceanic or coastal. Found in fresh water in St. Johns River, Florida. Spawns offshore.

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Environment

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reef-associated; marine; depth range 5 - ? m (Ref. 9710)

Lieske, E. and R. Myers 1994 Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p. (Ref. 9710) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9710&speccode=13770

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Migration

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Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

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Trophic Strategy

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Inhabit harbors and shallow coastal areas (Ref. 9710). Form schools (but solitary individuals reported), probably not entering water of low salinity. Feed by filtering plankton (copepods), but also take small fishes, crabs and shrimps.

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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Comments: Eats mainly zooplankton.

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Diseases and Parasites

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Contracaecum Infestation 3. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Bunkley-Williams, L. and E.H. Williams, Jr. 2002 Nematodes of freshwater fishes of the Neotropical region. (Book review). Caribb. J. Sci. 38(3-4):289-294. (Ref. 46699) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=46699&speccode=16

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Life History and Behavior

Life Cycle

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Possibly breeds in March-July off Venezuela.

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1985 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeioidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 188) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=188&speccode=24

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Reproduction

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Spawns spring through summer.

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Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Barcode data: Opisthonema oglinum

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The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 6 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

GBGCA383-10|FJ918907|Opisthonema oglinum| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------GTAGGGACTGCCCTA---AGCCTCCTAATTCGAGCAGAATTAAGCCAACCTGGAGCACTTCTTGGAGAT---GACCAGATCTACAATGTTATCGTTACAGCACATGCCTTCGTAATGATTTTCTTCATAGTAATGCCAATCCTGATTGGAGGATTTGGAAACTGGCTTGTCCCTTTAATG---ATCGGGGCACCCGACATGGCATTTCCCCGAATAAATAATATGAGCTTTTGACTCCTGCCCCCCTCTTTCCTTCTTCTTCTGGCCTCCTCGGGGGTAGAAGCCGGGGCGGGGACAGGATGAACAGTATACCCCCCTTTGTCAGGTAATCTAGCCCACGCCGGAGCATCCGTCGATCTA---ACTATTTTTTCACTACATCTTGCAGGTATCTCATCTATTCTCGGGGCAATCAATTTTATTACTACAATTATTAACATGAAACCCCCTGCAATCTCACAGTACCAGACACCCCTGTTTGTCTGATCAGTTCTAGTAACTGCCGTCCTCCTTCTCCTGTCCCTTCCAGTTCTGGCCGCC---GGAATTACTATGCTACTTACAGACCGAAACCTTAACACAACTTTCTTTGACCCAGCAGGTGGAGGAGACCCAATTCTGTACCAACACCTATTCTGGTTCTTTGGTCACCCAGAAGTCTATATTCTAATTCTCCCAGGTTTCGGAATGATTTCTCACATTGTGGCCTACTACGCCGGGAAAAAA---GAGCCTTTCGGTTACATGGGAATGGTCTGAGCAATAATGGCCATCGGTCTACTAGGCTTCATCGTCTGAGCCCACCACATGTTTACTGTAGGAATAG
-- end --

Download FASTA File

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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Opisthonema oglinum

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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 6
Species: 16
Species With Barcodes: 1

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Conservation

Conservation Status

National NatureServe Conservation Status

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United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

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NatureServe Conservation Status

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Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

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Threats

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Not Evaluated

IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006. http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073

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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Importance

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fisheries: commercial; bait: usually

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 1992 FAO yearbook 1990. Fishery statistics. Catches and landings. FAO Fish. Ser. (38). FAO Stat. Ser. 70:(105):647 p. (Ref. 4931) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4931&speccode=228
Claro, R. 1994 Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo. (Ref. 26340) http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=26340&speccode=14

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Wikipedia

Atlantic thread herring

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The Atlantic thread herring, Opisthonema oglinum, is a herring-like fish in the family Clupeidae.

It has a dark blue-gray back, silvery sides, a white belly and a small head. It grows up to 38 cm in length. It can be found in shallow waters and harbors along the coasts of the western Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Cod down to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. It feeds mainly on plankton, but also takes small fish and crustaceans.

It is confused with the scaled sardine, Harengula jaguana, by anglers.

Cuisine

Atlantic thread herring has a slightly milder taste than most species of herring, it can be served raw, pickled, grilled or cooked.

References

Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Opisthonema oglinum" in FishBase. May 2006 version.

This Clupeiformes article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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Names and Taxonomy

Taxonomy

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Comments: One of two members of genus in western Atlantic, and only species in United States waters (Lee et al. 1980).

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