Ramnogaster melanostoma (Eigenmann, 1907)
Uruguay river sprat
Ramnogaster melanostoma
photo by FAO

Family:  Clupeidae (Herrings, shads, sardines, menhadens)
Max. size:  10 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  South America: Uruguay and Argentina.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-23. Belly sharply keeled. No distinct silver stripe along the flank and the first (anterior) supra-maxilla minute or absent (cf. Platanichthys platana). Distinguished from very similar R. arcuata of coastal waters by having fewer dorsal and pectoral fin rays and fewer gill rakers total; from small Sardinella and Harengula by the evenly rounded hind margin of the gill opening.
Biology:  Apparently confined to freshwater at mouths of rivers and their lower reaches. Presumably schooling.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 October 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.