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Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) — Clupeidae

Bali sardinella

Sardinella lemuru
Family: Clupeidae

The Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) is a saltwater fish of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 23 cm.

Length
23 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
15.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and others
Edibility
Highly prized

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Description

The Bali sardinella is a sardine (Clupeidae) from warm coastal waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a slender, streamlined, bright-silvery body with a blue-green back and large, easily shed scales. As a social schooling fish it forms large, shimmering swarms in open water and filters zooplankton with its gill rakers. It is a very important food and bait fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bali sardinella?

The Bali sardinella has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Bali sardinella live?

The Bali sardinella lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water. Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and others

How big does the Bali sardinella get?

The Bali sardinella grows to a maximum of about 23 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Bali sardinella dangerous to humans?

No, the Bali sardinella is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Bali sardinella edible?

Yes, the Bali sardinella is a highly prized food fish.

More photos

Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) — Clupeidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Muhammad Faris Nazal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) — Clupeidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) sharkdevotee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) — Clupeidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Robin Laws-Wall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) — Clupeidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Henry Cooper, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Bali sardinella sourced
Scientific name
Sardinella lemuru
Family
Clupeidae
Other names
Bali sardinella; Fremantle pilchard; Scaly mackerel; Silver sardine; Westralian sardine verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
23.0 verified
Average length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Min depth (m)
15.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized inferred
Fishing method
Can be caught with natural bait or lures, matched to the size and habitat of the species. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Sardinella

More from the family Clupeidae

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