New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

Diadromous Least Concern 🌡️ Subtropical

Threadfin shad

Dorosoma petenense Günther, 1867
Dorosoma Petenense (Dorosoma petenense)
Dorosoma Petenense (Dorosoma petenense)
Max Length
33 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
4 yrs
Trophic Level
2.8
Depth
0–15 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
31.00/100
Typical Length
10 cm
Depth Zone
pelagic

📖 Overview

Often schooling, occurring mainly in freshwater (in large rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and swamps). Adults prefer the presence of smooth, steep-sided surfaces such as dams, cement-lined pools and rip rapped streams . But they are also found in brackish or saline water of estuaries and bays (up to 32.3 ppt salinity ; juveniles to about 15 ppt). Larvae are pelagic probably found only in freshwater . Filter-feeders, but not entirely herbivorous since recorded food items include copepods, cladocerans and fish fry. Also feed on organic material of sand and detritus bottoms . Breed in the spring and in autumn, in freshwater, near or over plants or other objects. Eggs adhere to aquatic vegetation . Caught exclusively in fresh waters and sometimes in mouths of rivers . Also Ref. 58302.

Scientific Name
Dorosoma petenense
Authority
Günther, 1867
Habitat
Diadromous
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
33 cm
Lifespan
4 years
Depth Range
0–15 m
Trophic Level
2.8
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
31.00/100
Migration
Anadromous
Water Temp
20–30 °C
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 17 - 27; Vertebrae: 43 - 44. Body moderately deep; belly with 15 to 18 + 8 to 12 scutes. Mouth small. Last dorsal fin ray long, about equal to distance from snout tip to mid-pectoral fin or beyond; anal fin relatively short. Scales relatively large, regularly arranged. A dark spot behind gill opening. Gill rakers fine and numerous . Body bright silvery, especially on sides, opercles and underparts. Back and upper sides bluish black or dark olivaceous .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Threadfin shad is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

zooplankton
phytoplankton
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

Spawn Location
Open water
Size at Maturity
5.2cm TL
Fecundity
5,000–20,000eggs

Breed in spring and again in autumn, in open waters near or over plants or other objects; eggs slightly adhesive . Females can produce 5,000 to 20,000 eggs depending upon their size .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; anadromous ; depth range 0 - 15 m . Subtropical; 20°C - 30°C ; 42°N - 15°N, 159°W - 81°W North and Central America: Gulf of Mexico drainage, Mississippi system, from the Ohio River of Kentucky and southern Indiana southwest to Oklahoma, and south to Texas and Florida, also rivers around the Gulf to northern Guatemala; also Belize River, British Honduras.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 💧 Freshwater 🌿 Brackish 🐟 Pelagic
Migration
Anadromous
Feeding Mode
Filter-feed
Trophic Level
2.8±0.1
🐠 Schooling
Food Items

organic material of sand and detritus bottoms (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00871 × L2.99 (TL)
Max TL
33cm
Dorsal Rays
13
Anal Rays
22
Vertebrae
44

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
20–30°C
Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2018

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
31.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
2.8
Omnivore / Planktivore
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Günther, 1867

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Threadfin shad
🌍CES dorosoma guatemalská
🇩🇰Danish Trådfinnet kråsesild
🇩🇪German Fadenflossenhering
🌍LAV Dienvidu dorosoma
🇷🇺Russian Южная доросома
🇪🇸Spanish Sardina machete amarilla · sardina maya

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Chatoessus mexicanus Günther 1868 Synonym
Dorosoma petenense vanhyningi Weed 1925 Synonym
Meletta petenensis Günther 1867 Synonym
Signalosa atchafalayae Evermann & Kendall 1898 Synonym
Signalosa atchafalayae vanhyningi Weed 1925 Synonym
Signalosa mexicana Günther 1868 Synonym
Signalosa mexicana campi Weed 1925 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 119 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Threadfin shad ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.