Sardine

ID points

• Slender and silvery white, with a blue-green sheen on the back
• Large scales that shed easily; a row of dark spots along the side
• Always appears in dense schools

Basics

Family

Clupeidae

Length

10–25 cm

Depth

0-100 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Temperate & polar · Open ocean

Distribution

Surface of temperate shallow seas worldwide

Habitat

Surface waters of temperate coastal seas

Diet

Plankton

Easily confused with

Flying FishHugely enlarged pectoral fins that spread like a pair of wingsMackerelBlue-green back covered with dark wavy barsSailfishDorsal fin opens like a tall sail, higher than the body itself

Fun fact

Sardines gather in shoals of millions, forming a bait ball that moves like one living creature, shifting shape in perfect unison to confuse the predators around it.