Genus Sardinella Cuvier and Valenciennes 1847 



Spanish Sardines 



By 



Samuel F. Hildebrand 



(continued) 



Sardinella Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 20, 1847 : 261 ; genotype S. aurita Cuvier and Valencien- 

 nes, first designated by Gill, Proc. Acad. nat. Sci. Philad., 1 861; 35. 



Generic Synonym: 



Sardinia Poey, Memorias, 2, i860: 311; genotype by monotypy, Sardinia fseudo-hisfanica equals S. anchovia 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes. 



Characters. Body quite slender, compressed, its greatest depth equal to or less than 

 length of head. Bony scutes rather weak, 32—34 along moderately sharp edge of 

 chest and abdomen. Scales thin, moderately adherent, with one to several vertical 

 grooves. Vertical part of anterior Clavicular margin (cleithrum) with two mem- 

 branous projections or lobes, a definite concavity between them (Fig. 100). Opercle 

 without radiating grooves. Mouth moderately small. Maxillary generally extending 

 a little beyond anterior margin of eye. Upper jaw without a median notch. Lower 

 JAW projecting slightly beyond the upper. Teeth absent in upper jaw; several in an- 

 terior part of lower jaw; minute teeth also on palatines, pterygoids, and tongue but 

 absent on vomer. Gill rakers numerous, close-set, increasing in number with age, 

 difficult to count (ftn. 47), about 70—130 on lower limb of first arch in adults; 

 rakers on upper limb not overlapping those on lower limb, decreasing gradually in 

 length toward anterior part of lower limb. Dorsal with 17-19 rays, the last one not 

 produced. Anal with 16—20 rays, the last two notably enlarged, finlet-like. Pelvic 

 fin inserted under base of dorsal, almost constantly with 9 rays. Pectoral fin with- 

 out a free axillary process, the fin lying in a slight depression.*^ Vertebrae about 



45-47- 



Remarks. Confusion in regard to the relationship of Sardinella Cuvier and Valen- 

 ciennes, Sardina Antipa,*" and Sardinia Poey has existed and even now has not been 

 cleared up completely. This relationship has been discussed by Regan {106: 377), 

 Jordan (jo: 46), Hubbs {61: 261-265), and Longley {Sy. 5), and apparently the con- 

 clusion may be reached that Sardinella differs from Sardina in the absence of radiating 

 grooves (or ridges) on the opercle and in the presence of two membranous lobes on the 

 vertical edge of the clavicular margin (cleithrum). Further, it appears that Sardinia 



45. The generic description is based wholly on American specimens, as adequate material from the other side of the 

 Atlantic is not available. 



46. Sardina Antipa 1905 appears to be a synonym of Arengus Cornide 17S8 (see 23: 43). — G. S. M. 



397 



