Kingdom Animalia Order Atheriniformes Subfamily Atherininae Higher classification Atherina | Phylum Chordata Family Atherinidae Scientific name Atherina boyeri Rank Species | |
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Genus Atherina
Linnaeus, 1758 Similar Atherina, Sand smelt, Old World silverside, Mediterranean sand smelt, Thinlip mullet | ||
Big scale sand smelt chirrete
Atherina is a genus of fish of silverside family Atherinidae, found in the temperate and tropic zones. Up to 15 cm long, they are widespread in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Sea of Azov in lagoons and estuaries. It comes to the low stream of the Dnieper, Southern Bug, Dniester and Danube Rivers.
Contents
Fossil record
Fossils of Atherina have been found in the Miocene of Kazakhstan (age range: from 13.65 to 11.608 million years ago.).
Species
There are currently 5 recognized species in this genus:
Incertae sedis
Commercial importance
Species of Atherina are objects in the traditional Catalan, Occitan, south-Ukrainian, Turkish, and Greek cuisine in fried form. The fish are lightly powdered with wheat flour before being dropped in hot olive oil. In Ukraine and Greece, it is commercially important species.