Max length : 16.0 cm SL male/unsexed; common length : 12.0 cm SL male/unsexed; max. reported age: 6 years
Temperate; 66°N - 30°N, 11°W - 42°E
Distribution
Northeast Atlantic: North Sea and Baltic south to Morocco; also the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Black seas.
Short description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 21; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 23. Lower jaw slightly projecting, gill cover without any bony radiating striae, teeth rarely present on vomer; belly with a strong keel of scutes; last two anal fin rays not enlarged. No dark spots on flanks. Pterotic bulla absent.
Biology
Usually inshore schooling, sometimes entering estuaries (especially the juveniles) and tolerating salinities as low as 4 ppt. Shows strong migrations between winter feeding and summer spawning grounds. Moves to the surface at night. Feeds on planktonic crustaceans. Spawns at depths of 10-20 m producing 6,000-14,000 pelagic eggs. Some spawn almost throughout the year, mainly in spring and summer, near the coast or up to 100 km out to sea, the young drifting inshore. Sold as 'brislings' to canneries. Sprat are used in the production of fish meal and as mink food, less for human consumption. Utilized fresh, smoked, canned and frozen; can be pan-fried and broiled.
Human uses
Fisheries: highly commercial; bait: usually
Common names:
Common name/ Language/ Country
Papaline Albanian Albania
Koparka Bulgarian Bulgaria
Shprot Bulgarian Bulgaria
Tritzona Bulgarian Bulgaria
Tzatza Bulgarian Bulgaria
Amploia Catalan Spain
Papalina Croatian Croatia
Sprata Czech Czech Rep
Spratt Czech Czech Rep
Sprot Czech Czech Rep
Sprott Czech Czech Rep
Sprotta Czech Czech Rep
Šprot obecný Czech Czech Rep
Šprota Czech Czech Rep
Šprotka Czech Czech Rep
Brisling Danish -
brisling Danish Denmark
Europæisk brisling Danish Denmark
Kielersprot Danish Denmark
Bliek Dutch -
Kieler sprot Dutch Netherlands
Sprot Dutch -
Sprot Dutch Netherlands
Baltic sprat English Former USSR
Baltic sprat English UK
Brisling English UK
European sprat English UK
Garvie English UK
Garvock English UK
Russian sardine English UK
Russlet English UK
Sprat English Estonia
Sprat English Isle of Man
Sprat English Spain
Sprat English UK
Whitebait English UK
Kilu Estonian Estonia
Brislingur Faroese Faeroe Is
Anjovissäilyke Finnish Finland
Kilohaili Finnish Finland
Voileipäsilli Finnish Finland
Amelette French France
Esprot French -
Esprot French France
Harenguet French France
Mélette phalérique French France
Menuise French France
Sprat French -
Sprat French France
Sprat French Morocco
Sprot French France
œillet French France
Anchosen German Germany
Anchovis German Germany
Appetitsild German Germany
Breitling German -
Breitling German Germany
Brisling German -
Brisling German Germany
Kieler Sprotten German Germany
Ostseesprotte German Germany
Russische Sardinen German Germany
Sprott German -
Sprott German Germany
Sprotte German -
Sprotte German Germany
Παπαλίνα Greek Greece
Σαρδέλα Greek Greece
Papalina Greek Greece
Sardella Greek Greece
Brislingur Icelandic Iceland
Alaccia Italian Italy
Filetti di papalina marinati Italian Italy
Losa Italian Italy
Palaziola Italian Italy
Papalina Italian -
Papalina Italian Italy
Parazzola Italian Italy
Renga Italian Italy
Rengheta Italian Italy
Sadda papalina Italian Italy
Saracchina Italian Italy
Sarachella Italian Italy
Saraghina Italian Italy
Sarda Italian Italy
Sarda d'annata Italian Italy
Sarda fimminedda Italian Italy
Sarda papalina Italian Italy
Sardela Italian Italy
Sardelina Italian Italy
Sardella da liscia Italian Italy
Sardinella Italian Italy
Serretta Italian Italy
Spratto Italian -
Spratto Italian Italy
bretlina Latvian Latvia
bretlingis Lithuanian Lithuania
Lacci Maltese Malta
Lacci kahla Maltese Malta
Sarda kahla Maltese Malta
Sardina Maltese Malta
Sardina friska Maltese Malta
Sardina hadra Maltese Malta
Sardinella Maltese Malta
黍鯡 Mandarin Chinese China Main
黍鲱 Mandarin Chinese China Main
Appetittsild Norwegian Norway
Brisling Norwegian Norway
Szprot Polish Poland
Szprot baltycki Polish Poland
Szprot sródziemnomorski Polish Poland
Enchovagem Portuguese Portugal
Espadilha Portuguese -
Espadilha Portuguese Portugal
Espadilha fumada Portuguese Portugal
Filete de espadilha com especiarias Portuguese Portugal
Lavadilha Portuguese -
Lavadilha Portuguese Portugal
Ceacea Rumanian Romania
Ciacia Rumanian Romania
Sardeluta Rumanian Romania
Sprot Rumanian Romania
Sprut Rumanian Romania
Tata Rumanian Romania
Baltiiskya kil'ka Russian Former USSR
Chernomor shprot Russian Former USSR
Chernomorski shprot Russian Former USSR
Shprot Russian Ukraine
Papalina Serbian Serbia
Papalina Slovene Slovenia
Alatxa Spanish Spain
Amploya Spanish Spain
Collaca Spanish Spain
Espadín Spanish -
Espadín Spanish Spain
Espadines o arenques anchoados Spanish Spain
Filetes anchoados de espadin Spanish Spain
Lacha Spanish Spain
Sardina Spanish Spain
Sardineta Spanish -
Trancho Spanish -
Trancho Spanish Spain
Ansjovis Swedish Sweden
Aptitsill Swedish Sweden
Skarpsill Swedish Sweden
Vassbuk Swedish Sweden
Ançuez Turkish Turkey
Çaça baligi Turkish Turkey
Çaça-platika Turkish Turkey
Palatika Turkish Turkey
Papalina baligi Turkish Turkey
Platika baligi Turkish Turkey
Home > Blog > Nature World Fishes > Sprattus sprattus balticus
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Accepted scientific name: