Amblygaster clupeoides

Description

The Bleeker smoothbelly sardinella, (Amblygaster clupeoides) also known as blue pilchard, sharp-nosed pilchard, or sharpnose sardine, is a reef-associated marine species of sardinellas in the herring family Clupeidae. It is one of the three species of genus Amblygaster. It is found in the marine waters along Indo-West Pacific regions. The fish has 13 to 21 dorsal soft rays and 12 to 23 anal soft rays. It grows up to a maximum length of 21 cm. The flank is gold in fresh fish but becomes black while preservation. Belly is more rounded and scutes are not prominent. The fish feeds on minute organisms like copepods, Mysis and zooplankton. Widely used as bait in the tuna fishery all along the world, both as a live or dead forms.