SHAD

:''"Shad" is also a term used pejoratively inside the Canadian Navy for naval reservists.''

The 'shads' or 'river herrings' comprise the genus '''Alosa''', fishes related to herring in the 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 or Atlantic shad (''A. sapidissima'') is a valued food fish. It was especially important in earlier times; 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 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, filleted 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.

Contents

Systematics

References

External links

Systematics

Systematics of shads are extremely complex. The genus inhabits a wide range of habitats, and many taxa are 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 is notoriously liable to adapt to changing food availability in these fish. Several taxa seem to have evolved quite recently, making molecular analyses difficult. And in addition, it appears as if hybridization is a factor to be reckoned when researching shard 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 shad, ''Alosa aestivalis''

★ Agone, ''Alosa agone''

★ Alabama shad, ''Alosa alabamae''

★ Allis shad, ''Alosa alosa''

★ Caspian marine shad, ''Alosa brashnikovi''

★ ''Alosa caspia''

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★ Caspian shad, ''Alosa caspia caspia''

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★ Enzeli shad, ''Alosa caspia knipowitschi''

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★ Astrabad shad, ''Alosa caspia persica''

★ Skipjack shad, ''Alosa chrysochloris''

★ Twaite shad, ''Alosa fallax''

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★ Mediterranean shad, ''Alosa fallax nilotica''

★ Pontic shad, ''Alosa immaculata'' - sometimes ''A. pontica''

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★ Caspian anadromous shad, ''Alosa (immaculata) kessleri''

★ Macedonian shad, ''Alosa macedonica''

★ Black Sea shad, ''Alosa maeotica''

★ Hickory shad, ''Alosa mediocris''

★ Alewife, ''Alosa pseudoharengus''

★ American or Atlantic shad, ''Alosa sapidissima''

★ Saposhnikovi shad, ''Alosa saposchnikowii''

★ Agrakhan shad, ''Alosa sphaerocephala''

★ Azov shad, ''Alosa tanaica''

★ ''Alosa tenualosa''

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★ Persian Gulf shad, ''Alosa tenualosa ilisha''

★ Greek shad, ''Alosa vistonica''

References

★ (2006): A molecular phylogenetic perspective on the evolutionary history of ''Alosa'' spp. (Clupeidae). ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '40'(1): 298–304. (HTML abstract)

External links

★ Tastes of the Region: Shad An article celebrating shad's cultural importance to the Hudson Valley

★ Lambertville NJ Shad Festival