Clupeidae

New Zealand blueback sprat

Sprattus antipodum

Clupeid Fish in New Zealand Waters

• Blue
• Tropical
• Southern Hemisphere
• Regional distribution
• Marine fish
• Pacific Ocean
• Oceania
• Fusiform
• Compressed cross-section
• Small
• Tropical fish

The New Zealand blueback sprat (Sprattus antipodum; Māori: kupae or marakuha) is a herring-like, forage fish of the family Clupeidae found in the waters around New Zealand, between latitudes 37° S and 48° S, and longitude 166° E and 180° E, to depths of up to 50 m. It belongs to the genus Sprattus, a small oily fish usually known by their common name, sprats. Its length is up to 12 cm.