Clupeidae
Sign in to saveClupeidae is a family of clupeiform ray-finned fishes, comprising, for instance, the herrings and sprats. Many members of the family have a body protected with shiny cycloid (very smooth and uniform) scales, a single dorsal fin, and a fusiform body for quick, evasive swimming and pursuit of prey composed of small planktonic animals. Due to their small size and position in the lower trophic level of many marine food webs, the levels of methylmercury they bioaccumulate are very low, reducing the risk of mercury poisoning when consumed.
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Clupeidae is a family of fish that includes herrings and sprats, characterized by smooth scales, a single dorsal fin, and a streamlined body designed for quick swimming and hunting small plankton. These fish are important for human consumption because they accumulate very low levels of mercury, making them safer to eat compared to larger predatory fish.
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Article
6 sectionsContents
- Description and biology
- Feeding physiology
- Taxonomy
- Fossil genera
- Disputed fossil genera
- References
Clupeidae is a family of clupeiform ray-finned fishes, comprising, for instance, the herrings and sprats. Many members of the family have a body protected with shiny cycloid (very smooth and uniform) scales, a single dorsal fin, and a fusiform body for quick, evasive swimming and pursuit of prey composed of small planktonic animals. Due to their small size and position in the lower trophic level of many marine food webs, the levels of methylmercury they bioaccumulate are very low, reducing the risk of mercury poisoning when consumed.
The earliest known fossil members of this group are the stem-clupeids Italoclupea and Lecceclupea from the late Campanian/early Maastrichtian of Italy.''