Atlantic Red Herring

Etrumeus teres

Clupeidae · saltwater water fish

1 minute read · Species guide

Atlantic Red Herring field guide illustration

About Atlantic Red Herring

Etrumeus sadina, the red-eye round herring, is a species of fish belonging to the family Dussumieriidae, a family notable for their rounded bellies.

Description

The red-eye round herring has a very slim rounded body. Its anal and pelvic fins are small, and its scales are large and thin. Because of this, they often become dislodged when being caught. Its side and underside are silvery in color, and its back is a murky green.

Distribution and habitat

Round herrings are found in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, from the Bay of Fundy to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. It can be found inshore during the summer in the northern sections of its occurring range, but in the southern half of its range, it is found further from the shore at around 50 to 150 m depth.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Etrumeus sadina (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 452 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 15 states.
0%
28.5%
Share of 452 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 15 states.

Habitat

Water and movement

Water
WoRMS records this species in the sea.

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Superclass
Actinopterygii
Class
Teleostei
Order
Clupeiformes
Family
Clupeidae
Genus
Etrumeus
Species
Etrumeus teres
ITIS TSN
161743
WoRMS AphiaID
158693
GBIF key
2413189
Outside the US
ITIS also files it in Mexico.

Common questions about Atlantic Red Herring

What is the scientific name of Atlantic Red Herring?
The scientific name is Etrumeus teres, in the family Clupeidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Does Atlantic Red Herring live in fresh water or salt water?
WoRMS records this species in the sea.
Where has Atlantic Red Herring been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 15 states, with the most records in California, New Jersey, Florida. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Same family

More Clupeidae

Alabama Shad13 states
Alosa alabamaeClupeidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Alewife29 states
Alosa pseudoharengusClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
American Gizzard Shad41 states
Dorosoma cepedianumClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
American Shad25 states
Alosa sapidissimaClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Atlantic Herring17 states
Clupea harengusClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Atlantic Menhaden19 states
Brevoortia tyrannusClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Atlantic Thread Herring13 states
Opisthonema oglinumClupeidaeNativeSalt
Blueback Herring21 states
Alosa aestivalisClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Bluestripe Herring2 states
Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatusClupeidaeIntroducedFreshSaltBrackish
Dwarf Herring2 states
Jenkinsia lamprotaeniaClupeidaeNativeSalt
False Herring3 states
Harengula clupeolaClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Finescale Menhaden4 states
Brevoortia gunteriClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Florida Round Herring1 states
Jenkinsia stoliferaClupeidaeNativeSalt
Gulf Menhaden8 states
Brevoortia patronusClupeidaeNativeSalt
Hickory Shad15 states
Alosa mediocrisClupeidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Marquesan Sardinella1 states
Sardinella marquesensisClupeidaeIntroducedSalt
Middling Thread Herring1 states
Opisthonema medirastreClupeidaeNativeSalt
Pacific Herring4 states
Clupea pallasiiClupeidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Pacific Sardine5 states
Sardinops sagaxClupeidaeNativeSalt
Redear Herring5 states
Harengula humeralisClupeidaeNativeSalt
Round Sardinella12 states
Sardinella auritaClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Scaled Sardine10 states
Harengula jaguanaClupeidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Skipjack Shad24 states
Alosa chrysochlorisClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Threadfin Shad30 states
Dorosoma petenenseClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish

All 26 species in Clupeidae