Denticipitidae

denticle herring

Denticeps clupeoides

Denticle scales create furry look

• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• Africa
• Fusiform
• Compressed cross-section
• Medium
• Tropical fish

The denticle herring (Denticeps clupeoides) is a small, up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long, species of ray-finned fish found only in the rivers of Benin, Nigeria, and western Cameroon. It is related to the herrings, but notable for its large anal fin and its array of denticle-like scales under the head, which give it almost a furry appearance. It is the sole living member of the family Denticipitidae, and is the last surviving member of a very ancient lineage of clupeiforms, the Denticipitoidei, that diverged from the clupeoids during the Mesozoic.