Dorosoma petenense
(Günther 1867)
Family Clupeidae

Lateral view of a threadfin shad
The threadfin shad pictured above was collected in Alachua County, Florida in 2015. It is now part of the Florida Museum’s ichthyology collection, UF 237814. Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The threadfin shad is a member of the herring family. It has a very long last dorsal fin ray similar to that of the gizzard shad. The threadfin shad has a terminal mouth with a projecting lower jaw, black specks on the chin and floor of the mouth and between 40 and 48 lateral scales. This species can be found in sandy runs of small to large rivers.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Non-indigenous freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central drainages
  • River Drainages — Escambia River, Choctawhatchee River, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, Suwannee River, Tampa Bay, the Myakka or Peace River, Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee River, the Everglades, Indian River, the Tolomato or Matanzas River and the St. John’s River
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