Vertebrate Zoology - V. M. Konstantinov 2011

Chordates
Gnathostomes
Class Osteichthyes - Subclass Actinopterygii - Superorder Teleostei - Order Clupeiformes

Clupeiformes are the most primitive living teleost Fishes, featuring a relatively poorly ossified Skull and easily shed scales. Fin rays are soft and segmented. Scales are cycloid. The primary family is Clupeidae. Throughout their lives, herrings retain a connection between the swim bladder and the Esophagus.

The herring family (Clupeidae) comprises A large number of species inhabiting predominantly marine environments; some species ascend rivers to spawn. Herrings are small to medium-sized schooling planktivorous fish. Widely distributed from the Arctic to the Subantarctic, they are particularly abundant in tropical waters. The total number of species is around 100. In our waters, the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is found in the White and Barents seas extending east to Novaya Zemlya, while the Pacific herring (C. pallasi) is typical of the Far Eastern seas. This species undertakes extensive Migrations related to its life cycle stages.

The Japanese sardine, or iwasi (Sardinops sabax), is widespread in the Far East. It is a typically marine, highly migratory fish that appears off the coast of Primorye in spring during its feeding migration. The sardine has a spotted back.

Sprats (Sprattus sprattus) inhabit the Baltic and Black seas, familiar to us by their culinary name "sprats", while closely related kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris and C. macrophthalmd) live in the Caspian and Black seas. These small fishes are closely related to true herrings.

Representing the anchovy family (Engraulidae), the European anchovy, or hamsa (Engraulis encrasicolus), is found in the Black Sea.



Last update: 13/08/2026

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