Wolf herring

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

Wolf herrings
Temporal range: 55–0 Ma
Eocene to Present[1]
Dorab wolf-herring
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Chirocentridae
Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1846
Genus: Chirocentrus
Cuvier, 1816
Species

See text

Both species have elongated bodies and jaws with long sharp teeth that facilitate their ravenous appetites, mostly for other fish.[2] Both species reach a length of 1 m. They have silvery sides and bluish backs.

They are commercially fished, and marketed fresh or frozen.

Species
  • Chirocentrus dorab (Forsskål, 1775) - Dorab wolf-herring, found in warm coastal waters from the Red Sea to Japan and Australia
  • Chirocentrus nudus Swainson, 1839 - whitefin wolf-herring, found in a similar range (This species 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.)

References
  1. Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  2. Nelson, Gareth (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 94. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
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