big-scale sand smelt

Atherina boyeri

Fish Reaching Twenty Centimeters in the Mediterranean Sea

Tropical
Regional distribution
Atlantic Ocean
Africa
Europe
Elongated
Medium
Tropical fish

The big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) is a species of fish in the family Atherinidae. It is a euryhaline amphidromous fish, up to 20 cm in length.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Silversides
Family: Atherinidae
Genus: Atherina
Maximum length: 20 cm
Body shape: elongated
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: Portugal and Spain to Nouadhibou in Mauritania and Madeira, and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Isolated populations on coasts of England and the Netherlands (Ref. 5980 ). Previously, two subspecies were recognized in Russian waters: Atherina boyeri pontica (Eichwald, 1838) from the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and Atherina boyeri caspia (Eichwald, 1838) from the Caspian Sea (Ref. 26334 ).
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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