FishDatabase

Dwarf Herring

Jenkinsia lamprotaenia

Clupeidae · saltwater water fish

1 minute read · Species guide

Dwarf Herring field guide illustration

About Dwarf Herring

The dwarf round herring (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) is a marine species of fish in the family Spratelloididae. It is found in the western-central Atlantic Ocean from Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico south to Tobago. The species is both edible and used as live bait.

NativeSalt2 states

Description

The dwarf round herring can grow to a recorded maximum length of 7.5 cm (2.9 inches). They live in inshore area of 0 - 50 m depth under water in schools. The fish is greyish-green by colour and feeds on zooplankton.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Jenkinsia lamprotaenia (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 57 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.
0%
96.5%
Share of 57 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.

Share of records by state

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
Jenkinsia
Species
Jenkinsia lamprotaenia
ITIS TSN
161759
WoRMS AphiaID
281198
GBIF key
5214565
Outside the US
ITIS also files it in Caribbean Territories, Mexico.

Common questions about Dwarf Herring

What is the scientific name of Dwarf Herring?
The scientific name is Jenkinsia lamprotaenia, in the family Clupeidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Does Dwarf Herring live in fresh water or salt water?
WoRMS records this species in the sea.
Where has Dwarf Herring been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 2 states, with the most records in Florida, Texas. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives

Other Jenkinsia species

Florida Round Herring1 states
Jenkinsia stoliferaClupeidaeNativeSalt

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 Red Herring15 states
Etrumeus teresClupeidaeNativeSalt
Atlantic Thread Herring13 states
Opisthonema oglinumClupeidaeNativeSalt
Blueback Herring21 states
Alosa aestivalisClupeidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Bluestripe Herring2 states
Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatusClupeidaeIntroducedFreshSaltBrackish
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