Identity Card
LATIN NAME : Harengula clupeola
FAMILY : Clupeidae
PHYLUM : Chordata
CLASS : Actinopterygii
Also known as the false pilchard, the false herring is a small fish which lives and moves in shoals.
It is a pelagic species which lives at depths of between 0 and 50 metros.
The adults head for the open sea to feed and reproduce, while the juveniles often stay in coastal waters such as estuaries, mangrove swamps, lagoons, island coral reefs and seagrass beds.
The false herring is a nocturnal predator which feeds on molluscs, worms, fish eggs and zooplankton especially copepods.
The false herring has an average size of 9 cm but can reach a maximum length of 18 cm.