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Threadfin shad  (Dorosoma petenense)

Image source: Robert Dobbs | inaturalist.org

General data

  • Main name: Threadfin shad
  • Climates: Subtropical
  • Habitat: Freshwater
  • Native: North America
  • Distribution: Mississippi River, Rio Grande, Aucilla River, Suwannee River, Colorado (Texas), Brazos, View all... Trinity (Texas), Mobile river, Atchafalaya, Apalachicola, Ochlockonee River, Caloosahatchee, Guadalupe, Pascagoula River, Pearl river (Gulf of Mexico), Neches River, Sabine River, Papaloapan River, Choctawhatchee River

Classification

  • Genus: Dorosoma - Gizzard shad
  • Family: Dorosomatidae - Dorosomatidae
  • Order: Clupeiformes - Herrings
  • Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
  • Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes

Description

The threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) is a small pelagic freshwater forage fish common in lakes, large streams and reservoirs of the Southeastern United States. Like the American gizzard shad, the threadfin shad has an elongated dorsal fin, but unlike the gizzard shad, its mouth is more terminal without a projecting upper jaw. The fins of threadfin shad often have a yellowish color, especially the caudal fin. The back is grey to blue with a dark spot on the shoulder. D. petenense is more often found in moving water, and is rarely found deep in the water column. It occurs in large schools, sometimes with gizzard shad, and can be seen on the surface at dawn and dusk. The threadfin shad may reach lengths of 8 in (200 mm), but only rarely. This fish is very sensitive to changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen, and die-offs are frequent in late summer and fall, especially when water temperature drops to 42 °F. The threadfin shad is a favorite food for many game fishes, including striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and catfish. This fish is widely introduced throughout the United States as a forage for game fish. The threadfin shad is native to the U.S., west of the eastern Appalachian Mountains, through the Mississippi basin all along the Gulf of Mexico down to Belize. This species tends to do best in large lakes and rivers. The construction of dams has created more reservoirs, providing more water bodies for the shad to inhabit. This has expanded the home range of the fish, as has the rise in temperatures in northern lakes. Threadfin shad have been introduced outside of their original as a supplemental forage. Populations have become established on the American West Coast from Oregon south to San Diego Bay and the Gulf of California.

Catches

Taxonomy of Fishes

  • Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
    • Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
    • Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
      • Perciformes - Perches->
      • Cypriniformes - Carps->
      • Esociformes - Pikes->
      • Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
      • Siluriformes - Catfishes->
      • Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
      • Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
      • Gadiformes - Cods->
      • Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
      • Clupeiformes - Herrings->
        • Clupeidae - Clupeids->
        • Engraulidae - Anchovy->
        • Dorosomatidae - Dorosomatidae->
          • Dorosoma - Gizzard shad->
            • American gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
            • Mexican river gizzard shad (Dorosoma anale)
            • Nicaragua gizzard shad (Dorosoma chavesi)
            • Threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense)
            • Pacific gizzard shad (Dorosoma smithi)
          • Ethmalosa - Ethmalosa->
          • Anodontostoma - Anodontostoma->
          • Amblygaster - Amblygaster->
          • Clupanodon - Clupanodon->
          • Congothrissa - Congothrissa->
          • Escualosa - Escualosa->
          • Gonialosa - Gonialosa->
          • Gudusia - Gudusia->
          • Harengula - Harengula->
          • Herklotsichthys - Herklotsichthys->
          • Hilsa - Hilsa->
          • Konosirus - Konosirus->
          • Laeviscutella - Laeviscutella->
          • Lile - Lile->
          • Limnothrissa - Limnothrissa->
          • Microthrissa - Microthrissa->
          • Nannothrissa - Nannothrissa->
          • Nematalosa - Nematalosa->
          • Odaxothrissa - Odaxothrissa->
          • Opisthonema - Opisthonema->
          • Pellonula - Pellonula->
          • Platanichthys - Platanichthys->
          • Potamothrissa - Potamothrissa->
          • Rhinosardinia - Rhinosardinia->
          • Sardinella - Sardinella->
          • Sierrathrissa - Sierrathrissa->
          • Stolothrissa - Stolothrissa->
          • Tenualosa - Tenualosa->
          • Thrattidion - Thrattidion->
        • Pristigasteridae - Longfin herrings->
        • Alosidae - Shads->
        • Chirocentridae - Wolf herring->
        • Denticipitidae - Denticle herrings->
        • Dussumieriidae - Round herrings->
        • Ehiravidae - Ehiravidae->
        • Spratelloididae - Small round herrings->
        • Sundasalangidae - Sundaland noodlefishes->
      • Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
      • Gobiiformes - Gobies->
      • Mugiliformes - Mullets->
      • Carangiformes - Jacks->
      • Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
      • Labriformes - Wrasses->
      • Scombriformes - Mackerels->
      • Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
      • Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
      • Aulopiformes - Grinners->
      • Blenniiformes - Blennies->
      • Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
      • Osmeriformes - Smelts->
      • Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
      • Cichliformes - Cichlids->
      • Characiformes - Characins->
      • Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
      • Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
      • Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
      • Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
      • Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
      • Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
      • Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
      • Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
      • Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
      • Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
      • Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
      • Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
      • Zeiformes - Dories->
      • Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
      • Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
      • Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
      • Lampriformes - Lamprids->
      • Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
      • Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
      • Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
      • Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
      • Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
      • Atheriniformes - Silversides->
      • Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
      • Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
      • Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
      • Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
      • Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
      • Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
      • Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
      • Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
      • Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
      • Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
      • Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
      • Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
      • Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
      • Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
      • Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
      • Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
      • Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
    • Cladistii - Bichirs->
    • Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
    • Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
    • Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
  • Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
  • Agnatha - Jawless fishes->