Bony fish · Clupeiformes · Clupeidae

Pilchard

Sardina pilchardus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its name comes from the island of Sardinia, where it was historically especially abundant. It is a key species at the middle of the food web, essential food for tuna, marine mammals and seabirds.

Weight

20 g – 100 g

Size

20 cm – 27.5 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

School

Gathers in coordinated schools, typical of fish.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanOmnivore Variable activity In schools Fish Ocean

44countries 48parks 84dive sites2same family

Fun facts

Its name comes from the island of Sardinia, where it was once very abundant.
It is key food for tuna, marine mammals and seabirds.
It releases up to 60,000 eggs a spawning, in several batches.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Temperate and subtropical coastal waters of the north-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, from Iceland to Senegal
Birth weight: Pelagic egg; tiny larva at hatching
Size at birth: Tiny pelagic larva at hatching
Sexual maturity: 1 year (13-14 cm long), growing to 21 cm by 8 years
Gestation / incubation: The egg develops over a few days (no precise figure found)
Litter / clutch size: 50,000 to 60,000 eggs per clutch, released in several batches over several months

Sources consulted: Biology Insights; ResearchGate (Aegean growth study); Frontiers in Marine Science (Central Mediterranean study); FishBase; Fishipedia; Journal of Fish Biology (Wiley)