Allosmerus

Whitebait smelt
Illustration of a pond smelt
Illustration of a pond smelt
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Galaxiiformes
Family: Galaxiidae
Genus: Allosmerus
C. L. Hubbs, 1925
Species:
A. elongatus
Binomial name
Allosmerus elongatus
(Ayres, 1854)

Allosmerus is a monotypic genus of smelt. Its sole species, Allosmerus elongatus, the whitebait smelt, is an uncommon Northeast Pacific smelt, about which little is known.[1] Originally described as both Osmerus attenuatus and O. elongatus, these two species were determined to be conspecific in 1946.[2] The fish can grow from 7–9 inches (18–23 cm) in length, has large eyes, a greenish-gray color on its back, and a silver band along its sides. Unlike most other smelt species which generally have no enlarged teeth in the roof of their mouth, the whitebait has single large tooth in the center of its vomer, which is sometimes flanked by a smaller tooth on either side. The adult males of the species have a longer anal fin.[3]

Their range extends from Vancouver Island to San Francisco, California, although one fish has been found as far south as San Pedro, California,[3] a specimen which may have been released as live bait. Often abundant in bay areas, whitebait are known to spawn on subtidal sandbanks and swim in schools.[3] The fish has fairly minor economic importance; it serves as food for larger fish, and is netted by some fishermen during the spring and summer to be used as bait.[3][4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Moyle2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference McAllister1963 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Eschmeyer1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference McClane1978 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).