Bonga shad

Ethmalosa fimbriata

Dorosomatid Fish from Eastern Central Atlantic

Tropical
Regional distribution
Atlantic Ocean
Africa
Fusiform
Compressed cross-section
Medium
Tropical fish

Ethmalosa fimbriata, the bonga shad or just bonga, is a shad-like ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Dorosomatidae, formerly considered to be in the family Clupeidae. This species occurs along the coasts and in brackish water of coastal lagoons, rivers and lakes of western Africa from Dakhla in Western Sahara to Lobito in Angola. It is usually around 25 cm long but the maximum length is 45 cm.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Herrings
Family: Dorosomatidae
Genus: Ethmalosa
Maximum length: 46 cm
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: Atlantic Ocean: Eastern central Atlantic Ocean, from Dakhla in Western Sahara southward to Lobito Bay in Angola (Ref. 188 , 5286 , 81269 , 81631 ), occasionally entering freshwater (Ref. 3509 ). Reports from Cape Verde Islands are based on an erroneous type locality for Clupea fimbriata by Bowdich (1825), which was later rectified as probably Gambia (Ref. 188 , 5286 , 94080 ).
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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