Clupeiformes

Clupeiformes is an order of ray-finned fish that includes the herring family Clupeidae, and the anchovy family Engraulidae. The group includes many of the most important forage and food fish. They are physostomes.

 Description 
Clupeiformes are slightly slender in appearance. Some of them are deep-bodied, like the genus Pellona. While most of the Clupeiformes live in oceans, others are native to freshwater lakes. 

 Classification 
The order includes about 405 species in 11 families:

 Order Clupeiformes
 Suborder Denticipitoidei
 Family Denticipitidae (denticle herring)
 Suborder Clupeoidei
 Family Engraulidae (anchovies)
 Subfamily Coiliinae
 Subfamily Engraulinae
 Family Spratelloididae
 Family Pristigasteridae (longfin herrings)
 Subfamily Pristigasterinae
 Subfamily Pelloninae
 Family Chirocentridae (wolf herrings)
 Family Dussumieriidae (round herrings)
 Family Clupeidae (herrings)
 Family Ehiravidae
 Family Alosidae (shads, sardines and menhadens)
 Family Dorosomatidae

 Species 

 Atlantic herring 

The Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is a herring in the family Clupeidae.

 Denticle herring 

The denticle herring (Denticeps clupeoides) is a small species of ray-finned fish found only in the rivers of Benin, Nigeria, and western Cameroon.

 Rainbow sardine 

The rainbow sardine (Dussumieria acuta), also known as common sprat, is a species of round herring important to aquaculture.

 Related pages 

 Otocephala
 Novumbra oregonensis
 Scombroclupea
 Kyphosichthys
 Scorpaeniformes
 Pieter Bleeker

 References 

 Nelson, Gareth (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 91–95. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
 Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 363: 1–560. Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2011-05-17.

 Other websites 

 Clupeiformes  on FishBase