MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



185 



Fig. 90. American shad. 



gigantic, composed of millions or billions of individuals. Herrings are fall 

 spawners. A female lays thirty thousand or more heavy, adhesive eggs in shallow 

 water, where they adhere to the bottom and to plants. 



Similar Sj^ecies: The Pacific herring, Clupea -pallasi, is very similar to the 

 Atlantic species. It is found south to San Diego. The Spanish sardine, Sardinella 

 anchovia, is one of several true sardines found in the temperate and tropical 

 Atlantic. It is like a small edition of the common herring. 



AMERICAN shad: Alosa suftdissima 



Size: Males average 14 to 18 inches. Females average 18 to 24 inches. Up to 

 30 inches. 



Weight: Males average 3 to 4 pounds. Females average 3 to 6 pounds. Up to 

 12 pounds. 



Distrihution: In or near rivers and river mouths from the St. Lawrence to 

 Florida. The shad was the first exotic fish to be introduced on the West Coast 

 (1871) and is now found from Alaska to southern California. 



Identification: It has a deep silvery body, a blue-green back, and a prominently 

 notched upper jaw into which the lower jaw fits. There is a row of spots on the 

 upper back. 



Habits: This is the most delicious of the herrings and its roe is a delicacy. 

 The shad runs up rivers to spawn when the water is 56° Fahrenheit or more 

 (January to June, depending on location) and produces up to 156,000 eggs 

 though the usual number is 30,000. The shad feeds on plankton. It has become 

 much diminished in numbers because of pollution and overfishing. The location 

 of shad at sea during the nonbreeding season is something of a mystery. 



MENHADEN (moss-bunker) : Brevoortia tyrannus 



Size: Averages 1 foot to 18 inches. 



Distribution: Nova Scotia to Brazil. Numerous from New England to Florida, 

 being the most abundant fish in that range. 



Identification: The head is very large for a herring. There is a series of spots 

 behind the operculum. 



Habits: This is not a good food fish but is used extensively as fertilizer and 

 as a source of oil. Menhaden are exclusively plankton eaters and the gill rakers 

 are extremely fine. Schools of menhaden form one of the staples in the diets of 



