Family : Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens)
Order : Clupeiformes  (herrings)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Spotback herring
Fish Name : Herklotsichthys punctatus
Max size : 8.5 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 188)
Environment : pelagic-neritic ; depth range 0 - 50 m
Climate : subtropical; 37°N - 12°N
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea and possibly Gulf of Aden; an immigrant into eastern Mediterranean. (The names Herklotsichthys punctata or Herklotsichthys punctatus have been widely misused in the literature for another species, Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-21; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-23. Flank silvery, without spots, but a series of small dark spots on back on either side of dorsal fin base or behind it.
Biology : Forms schools in coastal waters. Marketed fresh, dried and dried salted or made into fish balls
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Whitehead, P.J.P.. 1985. (Ref. 188)

India country information
Common Names : [ No common name ]
Status : questionable
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses