120 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



often of immense size. The clupeids are characterized by feeble jaws, inconspic- 

 uous or absent teeth, long, slender gill-rakers, no lateral line, forked tail, and 

 mostly silvery color. The North Carolina representatives of the family are 7* 

 in number and belong to 5 genera which may be distinguished as follows: 



Key to the North Carolina genera of Clupeidoe. 

 i. Scales not closely imbricated, their posterior edge rounded; intestine of moderate length. 

 a. Last ray of dorsal fin short. 



b. Scales (scutes) on medium line of abdomen weak; teeth on vomer Clupea. 



bb. Scales on median line of abdomen strong; no teeth on vomer. 



c. Tip of upper jaw not notched for tip of lower jaw; cheeks longer than deep. 



POMOLOBUS. 



cc. Tip of upper jaw notched to receive tip of lower jaw; cheeks deeper than long. 



Alosa. 



aa. Last ray of dorsal fin greatly elongated Opisthonema. 



ii. Scales closely imbricated, their posterior edge vertical or fluted; intestine long; head large, 

 back broad and rounded Brevoortia. 



Genus CLUPEA Linnaeus. Herrings. 



Body long, compressed, with median line of abdomen armed with hard 

 scales or scutes; supplementary bone on maxillary broad; a permanent patch 

 of teeth on vomer. Two American marine species, one on the Pacific and one on 

 the Atlantic coast. (Clupea, herring.) 



106. CLUPEA HARENGUS Linnaeus. 

 Sea Herring. 



Clupea harengus, LinnjEus, Systema Naturse, ed. x, 1758, 317; European seas. Jordan & Evermanu, 1896, 421, 

 pi. Ixx. fig. 185; "chiefly north of Cape Hatteras". 



Diagnosis. — Form elongate, compressed, the ventral edge sharp, depth contained 4.5 

 times in total length; length of head equals depth of body; eye .25 length of head, longer than 

 snout; maxilla extending to middle of orbit; lower jaw projecting; minute teeth on vomer and 

 tongue, and often on palatines and jaws; gill-rakers long, thin, about 40 on lower arm of first 

 gill-arch; scales in lateral series 55 to 60, in transverse series 14; scutes on median line of abdo- 

 men anterior and posterior to ventral fins; dorsal rays 18; anal rays 17. Color: back rich blue, 

 opercles yellow, sides silvery, {harengus, herring.) 



This most abundant and most valuable of all fishes inhabits the North 

 Atlantic Ocean, on the shores of America and Europe. In America it is especi- 

 ally numerous from Cape Cod to Newfoundland. It extends its range to the 

 coast of Maryland and Virginia, where it is perhaps to be found every winter; 

 and it doubtless goes as far as Cape Hatteras, although definite North Carolina 

 records are lacking. The average size is that of an alewife, although a length of 

 16 or 18 inches is attained. It is a valuable food fish in fresh, salted, smoked, or 

 canned condition, and one of the best bait fishes for use in the line fisheries for 

 cod, haddock, etc. In Maine the young are canned under the name of sardines. 



Genus POMOLOBUS Rafinesque. Alewives, or River Herrings. 



Anadromous or fresh-water herrings, scarcely separable generically from 

 the sea herrings; body long and compressed, the ventral scutes strong and sharp, 



♦Several other species may be looked for on the North Carolina coast; among these are the round herring 

 (Etrumeua teres) and the Spanish sardine (filupanodon pseudohiapanica). 



