Wolf herring

Wolf herrings
(image here)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Clupeiformes Family: Chirocentridae Genus: Chirocentrus
Species Chirocentrus dorab Chirocentrus nudus

The wolf herrings are a family (Chirocentridae) of two marine species of ray-finned fish related to the herrings.

Both species have elongated bodies and jaws with long sharp teeth that facilitate their ravenous appetites, mostly for other fish. Both species reach a length of 1 meter. They have silvery sides and bluish back.

They are commercially fished, and marketed fresh or frozen.

The Dorab wolf-herring Chirocentrus dorab is found in warm coastal waters from the Red Sea to Japan and Australia.

The whitefin wolf-herring Chirocentrus nudus is found in a similar range, and is difficult to distinguish from C. dorab (the former has a black mark on its dorsal fin). This species is also known to eat crabs in addition to its usual diet of smaller fish.

External link

• FishBase info for Chirocentridae (http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=45)