Sardinella tawilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Freshwater sardinella |
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| Sardinella tawilis being sold in a market. | |
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Sardinella
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S. tawilis
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| Sardinella tawilis (Herre, 1927)
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Harengula tawilis Herre, 1927 |
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The Sardinella tawilis is a special type of sardine that lives only in fresh water. It is also known as the freshwater sardinella, freshwater herring, or bombon sardine. You can only find this fish in the Philippines. It is the only kind of Sardinella fish that lives entirely in fresh water. In the Philippines, people call it tawilis.
This unique fish is part of the Ark of Taste. This is a list of endangered traditional foods from around the world. It helps protect important food heritage, like the tawilis in Filipino cuisine.
Sadly, in January 2019, a group called the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said that S. tawilis is an endangered species. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever.
Contents
What Does the Tawilis Look Like?
The S. tawilis is a small fish. It usually grows up to 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long. It weighs less than 30 grams, which is about the same as a few coins.
Body Shape and Fins
Like other fish in its family, the tawilis has a body that is flat on the sides. This is called "laterally compressed." Its belly is covered with tough, scale-like plates called scutes. These scutes help protect the fish.
The tawilis has one triangular fin on its back, called a dorsal fin. It also has a tail fin that looks like a fork, which is called a caudal fin.
Special Mouth Parts
Inside its mouth, the tawilis has long, thin parts called gill rakers. These are like tiny combs that help the fish filter small food particles from the water as it swims and breathes.
Where Does the Tawilis Live?
The S. tawilis lives only in Taal Lake. This lake is in the Batangas province on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Taal Lake: A Volcano's Home
Taal Lake is the third-largest lake in the Philippines. It sits inside the big hole of an old volcano, which is called a caldera. Long ago, Taal Lake was actually connected to the sea, specifically to Balayan Bay. This meant its water was salty, like the ocean.
How the Tawilis Became a Freshwater Fish
In the 1700s, there were huge volcano eruptions. These eruptions blocked the lake from the sea. Over time, the salty water in the lake slowly turned into fresh water. Scientists believe that the S. tawilis was one of the few ocean fish that got trapped in the lake. As the water changed, these fish slowly adapted and evolved to live only in fresh water. This makes them very special!
Images for kids
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Bins of S. tawilis for sale at a Metro Manila supermarket
See also
In Spanish: Sardinella tawilis para niños
