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Diadromous Least Concern 🌡️ Temperate

Black sea shad

Alosa maeotica Grimm, 1901
Max Length
33.2 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
6 yrs
Trophic Level
4.4
Depth
-
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
31.00/100
Typical Length
18 cm
Depth Zone
pelagic

📖 Overview

Non-anadromous, entering limans and lower parts of river deltas, but only occasionally in freshwater. They are more or less abundant in lower reaches of rivers and coastal lagoons. A cold-loving species, tolerating 3 or 4°C. . At sea, pelagic in deep water and enters brackish lagoons to spawn. Mature adults spawn first at 2 years and many individuals spawn for 2-4 seasons. Eggs sink to bottom. Spent individuals return to the sea to feed. In autumn, they migrate to southern Black Sea to overwinter. Juveniles migrate to the sea or estuaries during the first summer . Adults feed mainly on small fishes (mainly sprats and anchovies) also on shrimps, gammarids and other large crustaceans . In northern Black Sea, the decline in habitat quality in suitable estuarine ecosystems is expected to have an impact in the immediate future .

Scientific Name
Alosa maeotica
Authority
Grimm, 1901
Habitat
Diadromous
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
33.2 cm
Lifespan
6 years
Trophic Level
4.4
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
31.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Body fairly elongate, more `herring-like' than `shad-like'. Gill rakers thin and straight, often closely packed and pointed, usually shorter than gill filaments. Teeth well developed in both jaws. Other Black Sea Alosa have more gill rakers (A. caspia 50 to 80 and A. pontica 47 to 66). Sardinella aurita is more slender, has many more gill rakers and i 8 pelvic fin rays.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Black sea shad is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
14cm TL

Juveniles migrate to sea or remain in estuaries during their first summer . In autumn, they migrate to southern Black Sea to overwinter. As spring approaches, they start to move into brackish lagoons to spawn until early summer. After spawning, spent fish return to sea to feed. Many individuals spawn for 2-4 seasons .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic. Temperate; 48°N - 40°N, 27°E - 43°E

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 💧 Freshwater 🌿 Brackish 🐟 Pelagic
Trophic Level
4.4±0.8
Food Items

small fishes (mainly sprats and anchovies) also on shrimps, gammarids and other large crustaceans (R

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00631 × L3.08 (TL)
Max TL
33.2cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2022

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
31.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.4
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Grimm, 1901

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Azov Shad · Black Sea shad
🌍BUL blech · Блеч
🌍CES placka kerčská
🇩🇪German Kerchen-Maifisch
🇫🇮Finnish asovansilli
🇭🇺Hungarian Lagúnahering
🇮🇹Italian alosa del mar Nero
🌍LIT kerčės perpelė
🇵🇱Polish Sledz azowski
🌍RON Scrumbia de mare · Scrumbie alba de mare · Scrumbie de mare
🇷🇺Russian Сельдь черноморско-азовская морская · черноморско-азовская морская сельдь
🌍TUR Ringa baligi · ringa balığı
🌍UKR Керченський оселедець · Оселедець керченський · Оселедець чорноморсько-азовський морський

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Alosa braschnikowii maeotica Grimm 1901 Synonym
Alosa brashnikovi maeotica Grimm 1901 Synonym
Alosa maeotica maeotica Grimm 1901 Synonym
Caspialosa brashnikovi maeotica Grimm 1901 Synonym
Caspialosa brauneri Nikolskii 1923 Synonym
Caspialosa brauneri elongata Isachenko 1925 Synonym
Clupea maeotica Grimm 1901 Homotypic

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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