Public Works and Environmental Services

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our administrative offices are open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Mon - Fri
703-324-5500 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Parkway
Suite 449, Fairfax, Va 22035
Shannon Curtis
Chief, Watershed Assessment Branch

Herrings- Family Clupeidae

Much Longer Than Tall
Much Longer Than Tall
One Dorsal Fin
One Dorsal Fin
Forward/Upward Facing Mouth
Forward/Upward Facing Mouth

On This Page

 

Alewife- Alosa pseudoharengus

Alewife

Alewife- Alosa pseudoharengus

Scientific Name: Alosa pseudoharengus
Fairfax County Native: Yes
Size: 10 inches, rarely to 15 inches
Diet: Zooplankton, shrimp, small crustaceans, small fish, and fish eggs
Distribution sampling sites: Map

Alewife are anadromous, living in salt and brackish water as adults and swimming to freshwater to spawn.

Gizzard Shad - Dorosoma cepedianum

Gizzard Shad

Gizzard Shad  - Dorosoma cepedianum

Scientific Name: Dorosoma cepedianum
Fairfax County Native: Yes
Size: 14 inches, rarely larger
Diet: Plankton
Distribution sampling sites: Map

Gizzard shad are filter feeders that strain plankton from the water column. They are inhabitants of medium to large rivers and lakes. The few individuals collected by Fairfax County have been below lakes and near the Potomac River.


References
Jenkins, R. E., N. M. Burkhead, 1994, Freshwater Fishes of Virginia,1079 pgs., American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD

Fairfax Virtual Assistant