African Ilisha

Body moderately deep, compressed, belly with 25 to 27 + 7 or 8 sharp scutes. Eye large, lower jaw projecting. Dorsal fin at or before midpoint of body; pelvic fins small; anal fin long, with more than 40 finrays, its origin below dorsal fin base. Swimbladder with two short tubes passing back in the muscles on either side of haemal spines. Other clupeoid fishes in the area are more slender, have a much shorter anal fin and the lower jaw not strongly projecting.

West African coasts and estuaries (northern parts of Senegal south to Baie de SaintBras, Angola, at 10°S).

To 20 cm standard length, usually about 12 to 16 cm.

Marine, pelagic,along beaches and just off shore, down to about 25 m,also in lagoons and estuaries, penetrating into almost freshwater.Feeds on small planktonic animals (crustaceans, etc.).

No special fishery, but contributes to clupeoid fisheries (about 400 t marketed at Abidjan in some years). Mainly caught by trawl, but also in purse-seine. The total catch in 1983 was 4 005 t. The total catch in 1996 was 11 020 t, mainly caught in Ghana (7 343 t) and Sierra Leona (3 025 t) .The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 4 608 t. The countries with the largest catches were Ghana (3 262 t) and Benin (671 t).

Diagnosis: Body moderately deep, compressed, belly with a sharp and serrated keel of scutes from gill opening to anus, 25-27 pre-pelvic and 6-8 post-pelvic sharp scutes (Ref. 187, 188, 81270). Eye large, mouth pointing upwards, lower jaw projecting (Ref. 187, 188). Dorsal fin at or before midpoint of body; anal fin long, with more than 40 finrays, its origin below dorsal fin base; pelvic fins small (Ref. 187, 188). Swimbladder with two short tubes passing back in the muscles on either side of haemal spines (Ref. 188). Other clupeoid fishes in the area are more slender, have a much shorter anal fin and the lower jaw is not strongly projecting (Ref. 188).Description: Body deep and strongly compressed, its depth comprised from 2.7 to 3.5 times in standard length (Ref. 2919, 81270). Eyes large (Ref. 188, 2919, 81270). Lower jaw prominent; no median notch on the premaxilla of upper jaw (Ref. 2919, 81270). Lower limb of first gill arch with 22-28 gillrakers; upper part with 9-11 gillrakers (Ref. 2919, 2982, 81270). Dorsal fin short, with 14-17 rays, its origin nearer end of snout than base of caudal fin; anal fin very long, with 45-50 rays; pectoral fins with 12-14 rays; pelvic fins with 6-8 rays (Ref. 1989, 2919, 81270, 117366). Number of lateral line scales 40-44; number of transversal scales 10-16; 14-16 predorsal scales (Ref. 2982, 86940). Sharp scutes; with 25-27 pre-pelvic scutes and 6-8 post-pelvic scutes (Ref. 188, 1989, 2919, 81270).Colouration: In alcohol-preserved specimens, body silvery and a dark band runs from occiput to base of dorsal fin (Ref. 2919, 81270). Colour: back grey, flanks pale grey or silver, with a faint dark spot behind gill cover, green/gold when alive; dorsal fin yellow, with a dusky tip; pectoral fins with upper finrays yellow, the rest colourless, as also pelvic fins; anal fin with yellow border; caudal fin yellow with upper lobe and hind margin dusky (Ref. 187).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 45 - 50; Vertebrae: 42 - 43

Found in the marine environment, pelagic, along beaches and just off shore, down to about 25 m, also in lagoons and estuaries, penetrating into almost freshwater (Ref. 187, 188, 54448). A marine migrant (Ref. 117399). Rarely found below 35 m depth (Ref. 86940). It feeds on small planktonic animals, e.g. small fish and crustaceans; it doesn't seem to feed on plankton (Ref. 188, 3166, 47405).

Found in the marine environment, pelagic, along beaches and just off shore, down to about 25 m, also in lagoons and estuaries, penetrating into almost freshwater (Ref. 187, 188, 54448). A marine migrant (Ref. 117399). Rarely found below 35 m depth (Ref. 86940). It feeds on small planktonic animals, e.g. small fish and crustaceans; it doesn't seem to feed on plankton (Ref. 188, 3166, 47405).

fisheries: commercial

Ilisha africana, called the West African ilisha, is a species of longfin herring native to the coasts, lagoons and estuaries of western Africa from Senegal to Angola. It prefers shallow waters, and is unlikely to be found below 25 m. Some individuals can reach 30 cm, with the average closer to 18 cm.

The species is commercially fished, with 32,815 t landed in 2008.