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Blue fry (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) — Clupeidae

Blue fry

Jenkinsia lamprotaenia
Family: Clupeidae
LC · Least Concern

The Blue fry (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) is a saltwater fish of the family Clupeidae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
7.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Jenkinsia lamprotaenia is a very small herring-like fish of the family Clupeidae from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. The species has a slender, silvery body with a bright silver lateral stripe and grows to only a few centimetres. It is a schooling fish that usually occurs close inshore and feeds on zooplankton. Through its abundance the species is an important prey for larger fishes and squids and is widely used as live bait for scombrids. Spawning occurs locally in the winter months; the species travels long distances.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue fry?

The Blue fry has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Blue fry live?

The Blue fry lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Blue fry get?

The Blue fry grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Blue fry dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue fry is harmless to humans.

Is the Blue fry edible?

The Blue fry is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Dwergrondharing sourced
English name
Blue fry verified
Scientific name
Jenkinsia lamprotaenia
Family
Clupeidae
Other names
Blue fry; Dwarf herring; Dwarf Herring verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
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 Jenkinsia

More from the family Clupeidae

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