Fish · GBIF taxon 5214544
Atlantic Menhaden
Brevoortia tyrannusAlso known as Pogy, Mossbunker
Atlantic Menhaden are deep-bodied silvery schooling fish with a dark shoulder spot behind the gill cover. Their large filtering apparatus strains plankton from the water as vast schools move through coastal bays and nearshore waters.
schooling fishfilter feedercoastal
Licensed reference(c) Brian Gratwicke, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- zooplankton
- phytoplankton
- organic particles
Predators
- striped bass
- dolphins
- ospreys
ThreatsHeavy harvest, poor estuarine water quality, warming seas, and loss of nursery habitat
HabitatsEstuaries, bays, coastal ocean, and tidal nursery creeks
Life spanUsually up to ten to twelve years, though many individuals live fewer years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyClupeidae
- SpeciesBrevoortia tyrannus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Observe feeding schools without crowding wildlife that gather around them.
Responsible observation
- Watch: Rippling water and diving birds can reveal a dense school near the surface.
- Identify: Look for a deep silver body and one dark shoulder spot behind the gill.
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