Herklotsichthys punctatus (Rüppell, 1837)
Spotback herring
Spotback herring,  Timon-timon,  Aber,  Dilat,  Silag,  Tamban,  Tunsoy
photo by FAO

Family:  Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Max. size:  11.7 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 15.0 g
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea and possibly Gulf of Aden; an immigrant into eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ref. 188). The names Herklotsichthys punctata and Herklotsichthys punctatus have been widely misused in the literature for another species, Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus (Ref. 188).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-21; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-23. Flank silvery, without spots, but a series of small dark spots on back on either side of dorsal fin base or behind it.
Biology:  Forms schools in coastal waters (Ref. 188). Marketed fresh, dried and dried salted or made into fish balls.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Outside distributional range, occurrence needs further confirmation.


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