The New Zealand blueback sprat (Sprattus antipodum) is a herring-like, forage fish of the family Clupeidae found in the waters around New Zealand, between latitudes 37° S and 48° S, and longitude 166° E and 180° E, to depths of up to 50 m. It belongs to the genus Sprattus, a small oily fish usually known by their common name, sprats. Its length is up to 12 cm.
| New Zealand blueback sprat | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Clupeiformes |
| Family: | Clupeidae |
| Genus: | Sprattus |
| Species: | S. antipodum
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| Binomial name | |
| Sprattus antipodum (Hector, 1872)
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The species schools in coastal waters primarily on the bottom or midwater, with shoals of fish seen on the surface usually only in summer. It is fished mainly in subsistence fisheries and occasionally used as fishing bait.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Gaughan, D.; Munroe, T.A.; Hata, H.; Mohd Arshaad, W. (2017). "Sprattus antipodum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T98839225A98886993. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T98839225A98886993.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Sprattus antipodum". FishBase. July 2006 version.
Bibliography
edit- Armitage, R.O.; Payne, D.A.; Lockley, G.J.; Currie, H.M.; Colban, R.L.; Lamb, B.G.; Paul, L.J., eds. (1994). Guide book to New Zealand commercial fish species (Revised ed.). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Fishing Industry Board.