Spotted Sardinella

Diagnosis: Body slender, belly rather rounded, scutes not prominent (Ref. 188). It is distinguished from Amblygaster clupeoides and A. leiogaster by the presence of a series of 10-20 gold, in life, or black, on preservation, spots down the flank, but sometimes missing; also, lower gillrakers 33-43, while 26-33 in the other two species (Ref. 188). Sardinops species are also round-bodied and have spots on the flanks, but possess bony radiating striae on the gill cover; round-bodied Sardinella species have one unbranched and 8 branched pelvic finrays while Amblygaster sirm has one unbranched and 7 branched pelvic finrays, and more than 100 gillrakers are present in Sardinella species, also no spots (Ref. 188). Last 2 anal-fin rays enlarged (Ref. 117228).Description: Body slender, subcylindrical, belly rather rounded, with weak scutes (Ref. 188, 2871). More than 8 fronto-parietal striae (Ref. 2871). Pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays (Ref. 188).Colouration: Presence of a series of 10-20 golden-green, in life, or black, in preservation, spots down the flank, but sometimes missing (Ref. 188, 2871).

Spawn in school (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 21; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 12 - 23

Found on the continental shelf. Schooling species (Ref. 75154).

A pelagic, schooling species occurring in coastal waters and lagoons (Ref. 188, 53568), at depths of 1-75m (Ref. 82332). In Panggang Island, Indonesia it was recorded in temperatures of 28.5-29.8°C and salinities of 31.6-32.3 ppt (Ref. 823). It feeds mainly on copepods, nauplii and zoea larvae, larval bivalves and gastropods, as well as Peridinium and Ceratium; juveniles also on phytoplankton (Ref. 188). Used as bait in the tuna fishery.

fisheries: commercial; bait: usually

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起紅海、非洲東岸至菲律賓，北至日本硫球群島，南至阿拉夫拉海及澳洲北部。臺灣分布於南部海域。

主要漁法為流刺網，產量較少，通常曬成魚乾出售，或製成魚粉作為飼料之原料，亦是延繩釣及鮪釣業所使用之魚餌。

體延長而略側扁，腹部圓，稜鱗弱，具15-17+ 13-14個。脂性眼瞼發達，幾完全覆蓋住眼睛。口甚小，前位；上下頜約等長；上頜骨末端不及眼前緣下方。鰓蓋發達，外被半透明脂肪膜；骨質表面無放射紋；下枝鰓耙數33-43。體被細薄圓鱗，極易脫落；背鰭和臀鰭基部有發達之鱗鞘；胸鰭和腹鰭基部具腋鱗；尾鰭基部亦被細鱗。背鰭位於體中部，具軟條17-19；臀鰭位於體之後半部，具軟條16-18；腹鰭約位於背鰭第6至第10根鰭條之下方；尾鰭深叉。體背青綠色，腹側銀白色，體側具1列10-20個黑色暗斑。

沿近海表層洄游性中小型魚類，有時會進入內灣或潟湖區內。群游性。以小型甲殼類為食。

Amblygaster sirm, the spotted sardinella, also known as the northern pilchard, spotted pilchard, spotted sardine, and trenched sardine, is a reef-associated marine species of sardinellas in the herring family Clupeidae. It is one of the three species of genus Amblygaster. It is found in the marine waters along Indo-West Pacific regions from Mozambique to the Philippines, and towards north Taiwan and Japan to the far east of Australia and Fiji. It is a widely captured commercial fish in Sri Lanka, where the fish is known as "Hurulla" in Sinhala language.

Live specimen with golden spots (left), spots becomes black after dead (right).

The fish has 13 to 21 dorsal soft rays and 12 to 23 anal soft rays. It grows up to a maximum length of 27 cm (10.6 in). The distinctive feature of spotted sardinella from other two relatives is the presence of 10 to 20 golden spots along the flank. The color of spots may change into black after preservation. Belly is less rounded and scutes are not prominent. The fish feeds on minute organisms like copepods, larval bivalves and aquatic gastropods, and dinoflagellates like Peridinium and Ceratium. The fish is used in tuna fishery as a live or dead bait.

A schooling species occurring in coastal waters and lagoons. In Panggang Island, Indonesia it was recorded in temperatures of 28.5-29.8°C and salinities of 31.6-32.3 ppt (Ref. 823). Feeds mainly on copepods, nauplii and zoea larvae, larval bivalves and gastropods, as well as @Peridinium@ and @Ceratium@. Used as bait in the tuna fishery.