Shad
1273759
214423223
2008-05-23T14:15:25Z
125.2.181.27
{{otheruses4||the Canadian hip hop musician|Shad (rapper)}}
{{otheruses4||the American pro wrestler|Shad Gaspard}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Shads
| fossil_range = [[Eocene]] to Present<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Sepkoski
| first = Jack
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = A compendium of fossil marine animal genera
| journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology
| volume = 364
| issue =
| pages = p.560
| publisher =
| location =
| date = 2002
| url = http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = 2007-12-31 }}</ref>
| image = Alosa fallax.png
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = [[Twaite shad]], ''[[Alosa fallax]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| classis = [[Actinopterygii]]
| ordo = [[Clupeiformes]]
| familia = [[Clupeidae]]
| genus = '''''Alosa'''''
| genus_authority = Linck, [[1790]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 15-20, see text.
| synonyms=
''Caspialosa''<br/>
''Pomolobus''
}}
[[Image:Shadbake at Chester, Connecticut 1990.jpg|thumb|242px|right|1990 shadbake at [[Chester, Connecticut]].]]
The '''shads''' or '''river herrings''' comprise the [[genus]] '''''Alosa''''', [[fish]]es related to [[herring]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Clupeidae]]. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and in the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. The shad fry live for a year or two in [[fresh water]].
The [[American shad|American or Atlantic shad]] (''A. sapidissima'') is a valued food fish. It was especially important in the 1700s; however, many of the rivers where it was common now suffer from [[pollution]]. Traditionally it was caught along with [[salmon]] in set nets which were suspended from poles driven into the river bed reasonably close to shore in [[tidal]] water. It weighs between 3 and 8 [[pound (mass)|pounds]] and has a delicate flavour when cooked. Though bony, it is worth the effort, and indeed many esteem it above the famous [[Atlantic salmon]]. It is considered flavourful enough to not require sauces, herbs or spices. It can be boiled, [[Fillet (cut)|fillet]]ed and fried in butter or baked. Traditionally a little [[vinegar]] is sprinkled over it on the plate. In the eastern United States [[roe]] shad (females) are prized because the eggs are considered a delicacy.
Shad serve a peculiar symbolic role in [[Virginia]] state politics. On the year of every gubernatorial election, would-be candidates, lobbyists, campaign workers, and reporters gather in the town of [[Wakefield, Virginia]] for [[Shad Planking]]. American shad served as the focal point of [[John McPhee]]'s book ''The Founding Fish''.
==Biology==
Shads are unique among the fishes in having evolved an ability to detect [[ultrasound]] (sound at frequencies above 20 kHz, which is the limit of human hearing). This was first discovered by fisheries biologists studying [[blueback herring]], and was later verified in laboratory studies of hearing in American shad. This ability is thought to help them avoid [[dolphins]] that find prey using echolocation.
==Systematics ==
Systematics of shads are extremely complex. The genus inhabits a wide range of [[habitat]]s, and many [[taxa]] are [[Fish migration|migratory]]. There are also a few land-locked forms, one from [[Killarney]] in [[Ireland]] and two from lakes in northern Italy. There are species native to the [[Black Sea]] and [[Caspian Sea]], as well as the [[Persian Gulf]].
[[morphology (biology)|Morphology]] is notoriously liable to [[adaptation (biology)|adapt]] to changing food availability in these fish. Several taxa seem to have [[evolve]]d quite recently, making molecular analyses difficult. In addition, it appears as if [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridization]] is a factor to be reckoned when researching shad [[phylogeny]].(Faria ''et al.'' 2006)
Nonetheless, some trends are emerging. The North American species except the Atlantic shad can probably be separated in a [[subgenus]] (or even genus) ''Pomolobus''. On the other hand, the proposed genus (or subgenus) ''Caspialosa'' for the [[Caspian Sea]] forms is rejected due to [[paraphyly]].(Faria ''et al.'' 2006)
* [[Blueback herring]], ''[[Alosa aestivalis]]''
* [[Agone]], ''[[Alosa agone]]''
* [[Alabama shad]], ''[[Alosa alabamae]]''
* [[Allis shad]], ''[[Alosa alosa]]''
* [[Caspian marine shad]], ''[[Alosa brashnikovi]]''
* ''[[Alosa caspia]]''
** Caspian shad, ''Alosa caspia caspia''
** Enzeli shad, ''Alosa caspia knipowitschi''
** Astrabad shad, ''Alosa caspia persica''
* [[Skipjack shad]], ''Alosa chrysochloris''
* [[Twaite shad]], ''[[Alosa fallax]]''
** Mediterranean shad, ''Alosa fallax nilotica''
* [[Pontic shad]], ''[[Alosa immaculata]]'' - sometimes ''A. pontica''
** [[Caspian anadromous shad]], ''Alosa (immaculata) kessleri''
* [[Macedonian shad]], ''[[Alosa macedonica]]''
* [[Black Sea shad]], ''[[Alosa maeotica]]''
* [[Hickory shad]], ''[[Alosa mediocris]]''
* [[Alewife]], ''Alosa pseudoharengus''
* [[American shad|American]] or Atlantic shad, ''Alosa sapidissima''
* [[Saposhnikovi shad]], ''[[Alosa saposchnikowii]]''
* [[Agrakhan shad]], ''[[Alosa sphaerocephala]]''
* [[Azov shad]], ''[[Alosa tanaica]]''
* ''[[Alosa tenualosa]]''
** [[Persian Gulf shad]], ''Alosa tenualosa ilisha''
* [[Greek shad]], ''[[Alosa vistonica]]''
==References==
{{reflist}}
* {{aut|Faria, R.; Weiss, S. & Alexandrino, P.}} (2006): A molecular phylogenetic perspective on the evolutionary history of ''Alosa'' spp. (Clupeidae). ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''40'''(1): 298–304. <small>{{doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2006.02.008}}</small> (HTML abstract)
*''The Founding Fish'' (2002) ISBN 0-374-10444-1
== External links ==
* [http://yorkstaters.blogspot.com/2006/05/taste-of-region-8-shad.html Tastes of the Region: Shad] An article celebrating shad's cultural importance to the Hudson Valley
* [http://www.newhopepennsylvania.com/facesandplaces/shadfest2007-04-07.htm Lambertville NJ Shad Festival]
*[http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/04/shad_philadelphias_fish_a_case_study/ Science Cheerleader - Shad: Our Pollution vs. Their Resolution.]
Nick Taylor & Chris Longmire are two of the most famous shad fishers, both residing in the Annapolis county of Nova Scotia
[[Category:Clupeidae]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
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