Animal Profiles
Fish

Herring

Clupeidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Herrings are schooling fishes that connect plankton with larger marine predators. This account follows Atlantic herring, a silvery North Atlantic species that gathers in large groups to feed and spawn.

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) larvae photographed during an Ifremer research project.

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) larvae photographed during an Ifremer research project.

Olivier Dugornay · CC BY

At a glance

Location
Clupea harengus is the representative described here. It uses North Atlantic coastal and offshore waters. Seasonal movements bring different populations to their feeding and spawning grounds.
Habitat
Coast, Open ocean
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Planktonic animals provide much of the food, including copepods and other small crustaceans.

Classification

Common name
Herring
Browse group
Fish
Scientific name or taxon
Clupeidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Clupeiformes
Family
Clupeidae
Source classification
Actinopterygii

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Adults form large schools.
  • Its tail is deeply forked.
  • Its food changes as it grows.

Habitat and range

Clupea harengus is the representative described here. It uses North Atlantic coastal and offshore waters. Seasonal movements bring different populations to their feeding and spawning grounds.

Appearance and adaptations

Adults have bluish or greenish backs, silvery flanks and deeply forked tails. The body is compressed from side to side. The lead photograph shows larvae, whose form differs from that of adults.

Diet and behaviour

Planktonic animals provide much of the food, including copepods and other small crustaceans. Food changes as larvae develop. Large schools gather before spawning, linking feeding movements with reproductive migrations.

Sources

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