Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

The herring smelts or argentines are a family, Argentinidae, of marine smelts. They are similar in appearance to smelts (family Osmeridae) but have much smaller mouths. Ontogenic series of a fossil species of the genus Argentina, the Geological Museum, Copenhagen They are found in oceans throughout the world. They are small fishes, growing up to 25 cm long, excepting the Greater argentine, Argentina silus, which reaches 70 cm. They form large schools close to the sea floor and feed on plankton, especially krill, amphipods, small cephalopods, chaetognaths and ctenophores. Several species are fished commercially and processed into fish meal.

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt

Herring Smelt