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Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814)

Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 20; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 19 - 23; Vertebrae: 53 - 55. Belly with distinct keel of scutes. Lower jaw very prominent, but not rising steeply within mouth; teeth reduced or in upper jaw absent in fishes over 23 cm standard length. A dark spot on shoulder, several obscure dark spots along flank (sometimes missing). Closely resembles A. chrysochloris which has stronger jaw teeth, no shoulder spot and the body depth less than head length (Ref. 188). Silvery, with a dark grayish green back (Ref. 7251).

Common Names

  • Placka prostřední , Czech , Czechia
  • Vestatlantisk stamsild , Danish , Denmark
  • Bonejack , English , USA
  • Fall herring , English , USA
  • Freshwater taylor , English , USA
  • Herring , English , Trinidad Tobago
  • Hickory Jack , English , USA
  • Hickory shad , English , USA
  • Hickory shad , English , Global
  • Shad , English , USA
  • Shad fall herring , English , UK
  • Shad herring , English , UK
  • Shad herring , English , USA
  • Hikkorialoosa , Estonian , Estonia
  • Hikkorisilli , Finnish , Finland
  • Alose américaine , French , Global
  • Alose matte , French , France
  • Hareng , French , Trinidad Tobago
  • Matowacca , French , France
  • 北美西鯡 , Mandarin Chinese , China
  • 北美西鲱 , Mandarin Chinese , China
  • 隆背大眼鯡 , Mandarin Chinese , China
  • 隆背大眼鲱 , Mandarin Chinese , China
  • Aloza chikora , Polish , Poland
  • Sável-de-salto , Portuguese , Portugal
  • хикори , Russian , Russia
  • Hikorijeva čepa , Slovene , Slovenia
  • Hickorysill , Swedish , Sweden

    • Taxonomic Hierarchy

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Chordata

    Class: Teleostei

    Order: Clupeiformes

    Family: Alosidae

    Genus: Alosa

    Species: Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814)

    Climate Zone

  • Temperate

    • Location

  • Western Atlantic: along the coast from Maine to the St. John's River, Florida, USA (Ref. 188). Possibly in Campobello Island, New New Brunswick, Canada (Ref. 86798).

    • Biology

    In freshwater habitat, this species occurs in open water of large rivers (Ref. 86798). Schools of adults are found in marine waters, along the coast; also estuaries, tidal rivers and tributaries during late spring and early summer (Ref. 4639). Juveniles tend to leave nursery areas during summer (Ref. 4639). Feeds on small fishes, also squid, small crabs and other crustaceans, as well as fish eggs. Spawn in tidal freshwater (Patuxent River, Chesapeake Bay in May) (Ref. 188), and return to the sea shortly after (Ref. 4639). Parasites found are nematodes, cestodes and trematodes (Ref. 37032).

    Habitat

    freshwater