Opisthonema libertate
Deepbody Thread Herring
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GNR
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Clupeiformes (Herrings, Anchovies and Sardines)
Clupeidae (Herrings)
Opisthonema
Opisthonema libertate (Deepbody Thread Herring)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. The filamentous last dorsal fin ray distinguishes it from members of any other eastern Pacific clupeoid genus. Separated from eastern Pacific Opisthonema species by having 63 to 110 lower gill rakers in fishes over 14 cm standard length. Striking features: striking fins.
Distribution
Eastern Pacific: Santa Rosalita, Pacific coast of Baja, California, Mexico southward to Punta Sal and Punta Picos, Peru. (Earlier works probably combined data for Opisthonema bulleri and Opisthonema medirastre). Range is extended northwards to San Pedro, California (Ref. 35601). Rare on outer coast of Baja California Sur (Ref. 35601).
Habitat Associations
Marine. pelagic-neritic.
Biology
Usually occur near the surface of coastal and offshore waters, down to over bottom of continental shelf (Ref. 11035). Form dense schools. Apparently the most abundant of the eastern Pacific species of Opisthonema. Feed on phytoplankton (dinoflagellates and diatoms). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 35601). It is reduced to fish meal (Ref. 9291). Oil may be extracted (Ref. 9291). May be canned (Ref. 9291).
Max length: 30.0 cm TL; common length: 22.0 cm SL; max weight: 261 g.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders. Oviparous (Ref. 35601).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2007-05-24. Resilience: High (K=0.22-0.5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial.
References
Whitehead, P.J.P. (1985) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1):1-303. Rome: FAO.
Watson, W. and E.M. Sandknop (1996) Clupeidae: herrings. p. 159-171. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Atlas No. 33. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 1505 p.
Jiménez Prado, P. and P. Béarez (2004) Peces Marinos del Ecuador continental. Tomo 2: Guía de Especies / Marine fishes of continental Ecuador. Volume 2: Species Guide. SIMBIOE/NAZCA/IFEA.
Love, M.S., C.W. Mecklenburg, T.A. Mecklenburg and L.K. Thorsteinson (2005) Resource inventory of marine and estuarine fishes of the West Coast and Alaska: A checklist of North Pacific and Arctic Ocean species from Baja California to the Alaska-Yukon border. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Seattle, Washington, 98104.
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