| European pilchard | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Clupeiformes |
| Family: | Clupeidae |
| Genus: | Sardina Antipa, 1904 |
| Species: | S. pilchardus |
| Binomial name | |
| Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) is a species of ray-finned fish in the monotypic genus Sardina. Littoral species. Forms schools, usually at depths of 25 to 55 or even 100 m by day, rising to 10 to 35 m at night. Feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans, also on larger organisms. Spawns in batches, in the open sea or near the coast, producing 50,000-60,000 eggs with a mean diameter of 1.5 mm.