Sardinella tawilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Freshwater sardinella |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sardinella tawilis being sold in a market. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Sardinella
|
| Species: |
S. tawilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sardinella tawilis (Herre, 1927)
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Harengula tawilis Herre, 1927 |
|
Sardinella tawilis (the freshwater sardinella, freshwater herring, or bombon sardine), is a freshwater sardine found exclusively in the Philippines. It is the only member of the genus Sardinella known to exist entirely in fresh water. Locally, they are known in Filipino as tawilis.
S. tawilis is listed in the Ark of Taste international catalogue of endangered heritage foods of the Philippines by the Slow Food movement.
In January 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared S. tawilis an endangered species.
Description
S. tawilis is a small fish reaching up to 15 cm and weighing less than 30 g. Like other members of their family, they have laterally compressed bodies with bellies covered in tough, scale-like scutes. They have a single, triangular dorsal fin and a forked caudal fin. They possess long, slender gill rakers in their mouths.
Range and distribution
S. tawilis populations are found only in a Taal Lake in Batangas province on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The third-largest lake in the Philippines is in the caldera of an ancient volcano. Before recent history, the lake was but an extension of the entirely marine Balayan Bay. Major eruptions in the 18th century essentially sealed the lake from the sea, eventually leading its waters to become fresh water. S. tawilis is believed to be one of a few former marine species trapped within the lake that have evolved into purely freshwater species.
Images for kids
-
Bins of S. tawilis for sale at a Metro Manila supermarket
See also
In Spanish: Sardinella tawilis para niños
