Gudusia chapra (Hamilton, 1822)
Indian river shad
photo by Hasan, M.E.

Family:  Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Max. size:  20 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater; brackish; depth range 0 - 32 m, potamodromous
Distribution:  Asia: rivers of India and Bangladesh affluent to the Bay of Bengal (chiefly the Ganges and Brahmaputra systems and the Mahanadi River of Orissa). Reported from Nepal (Ref. 9496) and Pakistan (Ref. 41236).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Body fairly deep; 26 to 29 scutes along belly. A single triangular pectoral axillary scale; depressed tip of dorsal fin to behind vertical from anal fin origin. Hind margin of scales smooth. Dark blotch behind gill opening, often followed by a series of spots along flank. Gill rakers fine and numerous, increasing with size of fish (100 to 280 at 4 to 16 cm standard length).
Biology:  Adults are found in middle and upper reaches of rivers. Also occur in ponds, beels, ditches and inundated fields (Ref. 1479). Minimum depth assumed based on it being a surface feeder, maximum depth based on study site in Bangladesh (Ref. 128398). More data needed.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 06 October 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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