sand smelt
| Scientific name | Atherina presbyter |
|---|---|
| Descriptor | Cuvier |
| Year of description | 1829 |
| IUCN category | LC |
| Family | Atherinidae |
| Genus | Atherina |
Introduction
Atherina presbyter, commonly known as sand smelt, is a salt water fish.
Who is it?
Morphology
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Average size18 cm
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Maximum size20 cm
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Longevity4 year
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Average size18 cm
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Maximum size20 cm
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Longevity4 year
How to recognize the sand smelt ?
The sand smelt measures between 18 and 20 cm. This fish is unicolore with a predominantly argent and gris body.
Behaviour & Life cycle
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dietcarnivorous
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Male sociabilityliving in shoals
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Female sociabilityliving in shoals
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territorialNo
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Way of livingdiurnal
The sand smelt is a fish living in shoals naturally found at mid-depth. This species is carnivorous .
n general, this species does not care much about other animals crossing its path.
Reproduction
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Reproductionovipare
The sand smelt is a fish ovipare.
Harmless species
This species does not represent any particular threats to humans when encountered in its natural environment.
Where to find it?
What is its habitat?
Natural environment characteristics
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Temperature8 - 26 °C
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Depth0 - 50 m
Biotope presentation
The sand smelt is most often found at a depth between 0m and 50m. However, it is not impossible to find this species at other depths.
To go further
To read on the web
Sources & Contributions
Participation & Validation
The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.
Adrien Falzon
Nans Gourgousse
Translation
Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.
Bibliographic references
The Early Life History of The Sand Smelt (Atherina Presbyter) - A. W. H. Turnpenny - R. N. Bamber - Cambridge University Press - 2009.
Reproductive biology of the sand smelt Atherina presbyter Cuvier, 1829 (Pisces: Atherinidae) in the central-east Atlantic - Teresa Moreno - José Juan Castro - Juan Socorro - Elsevier Ltd - 2005.
Tags
Species of the same biotope
Scientific partners