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Agone (Alosa agone) — Clupeidae

Agone

Alosa agone
Family: Clupeidae
LC · Least Concern

The Agone (Alosa agone) is a freshwater fish of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 43 cm.

Length
42.6 cm
Water
Freshwater
Depth
0–? m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The agone is a herring relative found in the large lakes of northern Italy and southern Switzerland, such as Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore, and introduced to several lakes of central Italy. It grows to about 43 cm and has a slender, silvery, laterally compressed body with an almost straight dorsal profile and numerous thin gill rakers. Unlike most shads, this population is resident in fresh water and does not migrate to the sea. The fish hunts in open water for water fleas, copepods and small fish and spawns in summer. It is a valued food fish; the IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Agone?

The Agone has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Agone live?

The Agone lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Agone get?

The Agone grows to a maximum of about 43 cm.

Is the Agone dangerous to humans?

No, the Agone is harmless to humans.

Is the Agone edible?

Yes, the Agone is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Agone verified
English name
Agone verified
Scientific name
Alosa agone
Family
Clupeidae
Other names
Mediterranean shad; Twaite shad verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
42.6 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked sourced
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
0 sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen in open water met fijn kunstaas of netten; ook met drijvend aas op scholen. sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Alosa

More from the family Clupeidae

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