Tenualosa reevesii (Richardson, 1846)
Reeves shad
Tenualosa reevesii
photo by FAO

Family:  Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Max. size:  61.6 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 5,000.0 g; max. reported age: 8 years
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m, anadromous
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: China and possibly southward into South China Sea, but records uncertain. Eastern Indian Ocean: two specimens collected from Phuket Island, Andaman Sea. The species thus overlaps Tenualosa toli in range.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 16-18; Vertebrae: 44-45. Belly with 29 to 34 scutes. Head large; a median notch in upper jaw, which distinguishes it from other similar clupeids, except Hilsa kelee; with a well developed sebaceous eyelids. Gill rakers fine and numerous, each raker with scattered asperities. Caudal fin deeply forked with minute scales. A dark blotch behind gill opening and a series of spots along flank. Color: Metallic blue-green back that lightens to silver along the sides (Ref. 45563).
Biology:  Schooling in coastal waters and ascending rivers to breed. Adults are found near the surface at sea while larvae and juveniles spend the first two years of their life in river tide pools and estuaries (Ref. 57990). Feed on planktonic crustaceans like cyclopoids and other copepods, and rotifers (Ref. 45563).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 13 July 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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