Sardinella Valenciennes, 1847
Small to medium-sized herring-like fishes (to 30 cm in Clofnam area), the body moderately to strongly compressed and in the latter forms the belly with a very sharp keel of scutes. Hind border of gill-opening with two distinct fleshy outgrowths; 7-14 frontoparietal striae (on top of head); lower part of paddle-shaped second supra-maxilla about equal to upper part. Last two anal finrays enlarged.
Coastal pelagic or beyond shelf and down to 300 m, some species tolerant of low salinities, usually forming large shoals, many species strongly migratory; feeding largely on zooplankton, but also phytoplankton; breeding in upper water layers, eggs planktonic and scattered.
Species at least 20; in Clofnam area 2
Recent revisions: Wongratana (MS, 1980 Indo-Pacific), Whitehead (1982—synopsis of the 2 Clofnam species).
Species of this genus in the program:
Sardinella aurita
Sardinella maderensis