clupeids

Clupeids are a family of ray-finned fishes in the order Clupeiformes, encompassing many well-known forage fishes such as herrings, sardines, and shads. The group includes numerous genera and more than a couple of hundred species, adapted to a range of temperate and tropical marine habitats.

Clupeids are largely pelagic and form large, conspicuous schools. They are generally small to medium-sized and have streamlined, silvery bodies suited to fast, open-water swimming. A common feature is a long array of gill rakers that supports their plankton-based feeding strategy. They typically feed on zooplankton and small invertebrates, making them important links in coastal and shelf ecosystems. They are prey for many larger fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals.

Distribution and habitat are broad; clupeids occur worldwide in coastal seas and over continental shelves, often in brackish waters of estuaries. While most species spend their lives in marine or brackish environments, several, particularly within the genus Alosa (shads), undertake migrations into rivers to spawn. Spawning is usually broadcast in open waters, with eggs and larvae distributed by currents before recruitment to juvenile stages.

Economic and ecological significance is high. Clupeids support major commercial fisheries, especially for canning and fishmeal, and they serve as a critical food source for many predators. Management and conservation efforts focus on sustaining stocks amid fluctuations in ocean conditions, fishing pressure, and habitat alterations.