American Gizzard Shad
Dorosoma cepedianum
Summary 8
The American gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, is a fish of the herring family Clupeidae native to fresh and salt waters of eastern North America.
Biology 9
Occur mainly in freshwater in large rivers, reservoirs, lakes, swamps, temporary floodwater pools, etc., but adults also found in brackish or saline water of estuaries or bays, preferring quieter open waters. Juveniles are found in great abundance well upstream from brackish water (Ref. 39041). Very young individuals apparently never enter brackish water (Ref. 38947). Larvae are most abundant in surface waters both day and night (Ref. 4639). A herbivorous filter-feeder almost entirely. Breed near the surface in freshwater from late winter (mid-March) through most of the summer (at least to about mid-August). The adhesive eggs sink. Used to some extent as fertilizer and cattle food (Ref. 188).
Sources and Credits
- (c) Jacob Stagg, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jacob Stagg
- (c) Kenneth Bader, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kenneth Bader
- (c) Sarah Robertson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sarah Robertson
- (c) savannahray, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
- (c) Tomás Curtis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tomás Curtis
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/natureserve/13246964343/
- (c) Nicholas Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nicholas Martinez
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorosoma_cepedianum
- (c) FishBase, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/20919519
