Family : Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens)
Order : Clupeiformes  (herrings)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : White sardine
Fish Name : Escualosa thoracata
Max size : 10.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 188); max. reported age: 1 years
Environment : pelagic-neritic; amphidromous ; depth range 0 - 50 m
Climate : tropical; 27°N - 22°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tmax=1)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: northern Indian Ocean (Karachi eastward to Rangoon) to Thailand, Indonesia (Java Sea), the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-21; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 14-19. Belly strongly keeled. The almost rectangular second supra-maxilla and the bright silver stripe along the flank distinguish it from juveniles of Sardinella, Amblygaster and Herklotsichthys. Resembles some pellonulines with a silver stripe, but they lack a first supra-maxilla. Distinguished from E. elongata of the Gulf of Thailand but its deeper body and broader silver stripe.
Biology : Forms schools in shallow waters, the juveniles apparently entering the lower parts of rivers, but returning later to the sea. Feeds on both zooplankton (copepods, crab zoea, larvae of bivalves and fish eggs) and phytoplankton. Breeds from October to February (mainly November to January) off western coast of India, usually in relatively shallow inshore waters. Marketed fresh and dried-salted
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Whitehead, P.J.P.. 1985. (Ref. 188)

India country information
Common Names : சூட, ചൂട, சூடை, ಬೆರಜ, भिळगी, भिळजी, ભાંજે, വേളൂരി, ಸ್ವಾದಿ ಬಾಲಂಜಿಲ್  , కావల్లు, வெள்ளிக் காசு, மட்டீளிசியா, மட்டீலீசீயா , வெள்ளீகாசு , મોત્વા , ಸ್ವಾದಿ , വേളൂരി , ചൂട , Berza, Bhanjee, Bhilgee, Bhiljee, Bhitgi, Choodah, Choodah, Kavallu, Mattileesia, Motwa, Swadi, Swadi balanjil, Vellikasu, Veloori, White sardine
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses