Dorosoma cepedianum (Lesueur 1818)

Body moderately deep; belly with 17 to 20 - 10 to 14 scutes. Mouth small; lower jaw short. Last dorsal fin ray long, about equal to distance from snout tip to mid-pectoral fin or beyond; anal fin long. Scales small, somewhat irregular. A dark spot behind gill opening. Gill rakers fine and numerous (Ref. 188). Branchiostegal rays 6 (Ref. 4639). Silvery to brassy, with a bluish back. Stomach thick-walled, gizzard-like (Ref. 7251).

Aeromonosis. Bacterial diseases

Temperature range for spawning: 10°C-28.9°C (Ref. 39042), usually most active above 18°C (Ref. 862, 3742).

Anadromous. Fish that ascend rivers to spawn, as salmon and hilsa do. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 15; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 25 - 36; Vertebrae: 47 - 51

Found mainly in large rivers, reservoirs (Ref. 10294, 46977), lakes, swamps, temporary floodwater pools, etc., but adults also found in brackish or saline water of estuaries or bays, preferring quieter open waters. Filter-feeding, almost entirely herbivorous; the food is strained by the numerous fine gillrakers. Shifts from particulate to filter feeding at about 2.5 cm SL (Ref. 46977). Juveniles feed primarily on copepods and cladocerans while adults eat phytoplankton and zooplankton (Ref. 10294).

Inhabits open water of medium to large rivers, lakes, and impoundments. Ascends creeks and small rivers with well-developed pools and enters brackish water (Ref. 86798). Occurs mainly in freshwater in large rivers, reservoirs, lakes, swamps, temporary floodwater pools, etc., but adults also found in brackish or saline water of estuaries or bays, preferring quieter open waters. Juveniles are found in great abundance well upstream from brackish water (Ref. 39041). Very young individuals apparently never enter brackish water (Ref. 38947). Larvae are most abundant in surface waters both day and night (Ref. 4639). A herbivorous filter-feeder almost entirely. Breed near the surface in freshwater from late winter (mid-March) through most of the summer (at least to about mid-August). The adhesive eggs sink. Used to some extent as fertilizer and cattle food (Ref. 188).

fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually; price category: low; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species