West African pygmy herring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sierrathrissa leonensis |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Clupeiformes |
| Suborder: | Clupeoidei |
| Family: | Dorosomatidae |
| Genus: | Sierrathrissa |
| Species: |
S. leonensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Sierrathrissa leonensis Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969
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The West African pygmy herring (scientific name: Sierrathrissa leonensis) is a super tiny fish. It only grows to about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) long! This little fish belongs to the herring family. You can find it in freshwater rivers and lakes across western and central Africa. It's the only species in its group, which makes it quite special. Other fish in the same family include the Microthrissa royauxi from the Congo River and Limnothrissa miodon from Lake Tanganyika.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
This fish is very small, even for a herring. It shows something called neoteny. This means it keeps some of its "baby" features, like its small size, even when it's fully grown. It doesn't grow as big as its relatives.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
The West African pygmy herring lives in rivers and lakes made by people. It likes to swim together in large groups, called schools, in open water. They usually stay between 2 to 8 meters (6.5 to 26 feet) deep. At night, they swim closer to the surface, sometimes just 30 centimeters (12 inches) down, especially in places like Lake Volta. These fish eat plankton, which are tiny plants and animals floating in the water.
Where Can You Find It?
You can find the West African pygmy herring in many places across western and central Africa. Its home stretches from Senegal all the way to Cameroon. It lives in big rivers like the Senegal River, Gambia River, Niger River, and Wouri River. It also lives in large man-made lakes such as Lake Volta and Lake Kainji. Countries where this fish is native include Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
Fishing and How We Protect It
The West African pygmy herring is found in many places. It also has a short life and can recover quickly even if a lot are caught. Because of this, experts say it's a species of "Least Concern." This means it's not currently at risk of disappearing. In Nigeria, people do catch this fish for food.
About Its Name
The West African pygmy herring was first described in Sierra Leone. At first, some people thought these tiny fish were just young versions of other herring species, like Pellonula or Cynothrissa. However, when scientists found fully grown Sierrathrissa that were only 21-28mm long, it became clear. These were not young fish, but a unique, tiny species of their own.
 | Tommie Smith |
 | Simone Manuel |
 | Shani Davis |
 | Simone Biles |
 | Alice Coachman |
