Argentina sialis Gilbert, 1890
North-Pacific argentine
photo by Butler, J.

Family:  Argentinidae (Argentines or herring smelts)
Max. size:  22 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 99.2 g; max. reported age: 5 years
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 11 - 325 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: mouth of Columbia River in Oregon, USA to southern Baja California, Mexico and the Gulf of California.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-13; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 11-15; Vertebrae: 47-49. Branchiostegal rays: 5-5.
Biology:  Epipelagic or mesopelagic (Ref. 265). Frequently found in the stomachs of rockfishes (Ref. 4525). Oviparous, with pelagic eggs and pelagic larvae (Ref. 265).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 May 2008 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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