Atlantic thread herring

The Atlantic thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum) is a herring-like fish in the family Clupeidae.

Atlantic thread herring
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Clupeiformes
Family:	Dorosomatidae
Genus:	Opisthonema
Species:	O. oglinum
Binomial name
Opisthonema oglinum (Lesueur, 1818)

It has a dark blue-gray back, silvery sides, a white belly, and a small head. It grows up to 38 cm in length. It can be found in shallow waters and harbors along the coasts of the western Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Cod south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. It feeds mainly on plankton, but also takes small fish and crustaceans.

It is confused with the scaled sardine, Harengula jaguana, by anglers.

Relationship with humans

Cuisine

Atlantic thread herring has a slightly milder taste than most species of herring; it can be served raw, pickled, or cooked.

Recreational fishery

They are taken by anglers for use as bait or for personal consumption.^[2]