Clupeiformes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clupeiformes Temporal range: Late Jurassic to present
Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Infraclass:	Teleostei
Superorder:	Clupeomorpha
Order:	Clupeiformes Goodrich, 1909
Type species
Clupea harengus Linnaeus, 1758
Families
See text

Clupeiformes is a group of ray-finned fish that includes many well-known fish like herring and anchovy. These fish are super important because they are a major food source for bigger fish and even for people! You might have eaten them in sardines or menhaden dishes.

These fish have a special feature called a gas bladder (like a balloon inside them) that helps them float. This bladder is connected to their gut by a tube. Most Clupeiformes are shiny, silver fish with smooth, torpedo-shaped bodies. They often swim together in huge groups called schools. Most of them eat tiny living things called plankton by filtering the water through special comb-like structures in their gills called gill rakers.

What are the Clupeiformes Families?

The Clupeiformes order includes about 405 different types of fish, divided into seven main families:

• Order Clupeiformes
  • Suborder Denticipitoidei
    • Family Denticipitidae (denticle herring): These are small, lesser-known herrings.
  • Suborder Clupeoidei
    • Family Engraulidae (anchovies): These are small, green and silver fish often found in large schools.
      • Subfamily Coiliinae
      • Subfamily Engraulinae
    • Family Spratelloididae: These are also known as "round herrings" or "sprats".
    • Family Pristigasteridae (longfin herrings): These fish have long, thin fins.
      • Subfamily Pristigasterinae
      • Subfamily Pelloninae
    • Family Chirocentridae (wolf herrings): These are larger, predatory herrings with sharp teeth.
    • Family Dussumieriidae s.s. (round herrings): Another group of fish known as "round herrings".
    • Family Clupeidae (herrings, sardines, shads, and menhadens): This is the largest and most famous family, including many fish we eat.
      • Subfamily Clupeinae
      • Subfamily Ehiravinae
      • Subfamily Alosinae
      • Subfamily Dorosomatinae

How Old Are Clupeiformes?

Scientists have found fossils of Clupeiformes that show they have been around for a very long time! The oldest known fossils of these fish date back to the Late Jurassic period, which was over 145 million years ago. This means they lived alongside dinosaurs! Many of the types of Clupeiformes we see today, like Clupea (true herrings) and Engraulis (true anchovies), have been swimming in our oceans for millions of years.

See also

In Spanish: Clupeiformes para niños