Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829)
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 23. Diagnosis: Body fairly deep and compressed, belly with distinct keel of scutes; top of head with numerous fronto-parietal striae; upper jaw with median notch; gillrakers about 100 to 175, those on inner arches distinctly curled; outer row of gill filaments on first arch not more than half length of gillrakers; a series of small triangular scales above axil of pectoral fin; hind part of body scales perforated (Ref. 188). A black spot behind gill cover, usually followed by up to 10 spots along flank (Ref. 188).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Dorosomatidae
Genus: Hilsa
Species: Hilsa kelee (Cuvier, 1829)
Climate Zone
Location
Biology
Found in coastal waters (Ref. 3107, 30573); marine, pelagic, but entering estuaries and able to tolerate quite low salinities (7 ppt) (Ref. 188). Feeds chiefly on phytoplankton, mainly diatoms, also dinoflagellates, but also copepods, molluscan and crustacean larvae, prawns, amphipods and polychaetes (Ref. 188). Spawns, at least in Godavari estuary, around February (Ref. 188). Marketed fresh, dried, dried-salted and boiled. Made into fish balls.
Habitat
freshwater