Sardinella
longiceps
Indian oil
sardine
Scientific
classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Clupeidae
Genus: Sardinella
Species: S. longiceps
Binomial
name
Sardinella
longiceps
Indian oil
sardine
The Indian
oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus
Sardinella. It is one of the two most important commercial fishes in India The Indian oil sardine is one of the more
regionally limited species of Sardinella and can be found in the northern
regions of the Indian Ocean. These fish feed on phytoplankton (diatoms) and
zooplankton
The Indian
oil sardine is called "Kavalai" .
Diagnostic
features
The body of
these Sardinella is particularly elongated even to the point of being
sub-cylindrical. They have a slightly rounded belly and have eight rays on
their pelvic fin. They have a very large number of gill rakers and a faint
golden spot behind the gill opening. They also have a faint golden midlateral
line, as well as a black spot on the hind border of the gill cover.
Growth and
development
S. longiceps
attains sexual maturity around 15 cm at around one year of age. The lifespan of
this fish is about 2.5 years
Reproduction
These fish
only spawn once during the spawning season between June and December. The
distribution of the fish throughout the spawning season is determined by the
size and age of the fish. Many of the oldest, most mature adults between 17 and
19 cm spawn early in the season, while the juveniles of S. longiceps arrive to
spawn later in the season. The peak period for commercial catch is June and
July,
These fish
only spawn once in a spawning season and produce around 75,000 eggs. The
development of the egg requires only 24 hours. These eggs are spherical and
range from 1 to 4 mm in diameter. These fish are called oil sardines because an
oil globule makes up a major part of the egg yolk. These fish have 53 myotomes
in the larval stage, but adults have only 46-48 vertebrae.