Clupeoides venulosus Weber & de Beaufort, 1912
West Irian river sprat
Clupeoides venulosus
photo by FAO

Family:  Ehiravidae (River sprats)
Max. size:  9 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia and Oceania: Indonesia (Lorentz River, Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea (Fly River); probably in other southwest-flowing rivers in area.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-18; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 16-27. Body moderately deep, belly sharply keeled, with 9 to 12 + 7 to 9 scutes. Snout blunt, pre-maxillae short and toothless, but prominent teeth in lower jaw; second supra-maxilla short, a little over half length of maxilla blade. Pectoral axillary scale small, less than 1/3 length of fin. A silver stripe along flank.
Biology:  The only clupeid in the world known to inhabit mountainous rivers (Ref. 2847). Occurs in streams with gravel or stony bottoms and feeds primarily on aquatic insect larvae (Ref. 2847).
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 02 March 2017 (B2ab(iii,iv)) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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