Family Osmeridae

by. Nolvyhindarto,S.Si_Encartablog_Animals

Smelts

Selected Characters: Body silvery; adipose fin present; lateral
line present, but may be incomplete; pelvic axillary process absent.

class="Normal_0020_0028Web_0029__Char" style=" text-decoration: none">Smelts are marine, anadromous or freshwater fishes of the Northern
Hemisphere. Many smelts are schooling fishes, and they feed on invertebrates
and fishes. Some species are commercially harvested, and many are important
food sources for larger fishes and other animals. Certain smelts
are sometimes described as having a cucumber-like smell. There are 13
species of smelt, with five found in Puget Sound. Our anadromous smelts,
the Longfin Smelt and the Eulachon, spawn in rivers. The other three
smelts in Puget Sound are strictly marine, and spawn on sandy beaches.
Most smelts survive spawning, but the Eulachon does not. This family
is fairly common in the Sound.

Species

Allosmerus elongatus Whitebait Smelt

Hypomesus pretiosus Surf Smelt

Mallotus villosus Capelin

Spirinchus thaleichthys Longfin Smelt

Thaleichthys pacificus Eulachon

Retrieved from:” http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/ichthyology”