Author: Risso, 1810
FBname: Big-scale sand smelt
Comments: A very euryhaline species, where adults are frequently found in brackish waters and more sporadically in freshwater (Ref. 3788), preferring still or slow flowing waters in freshwater (Ref. 59043).  They are found in lower parts of rivers, estuaries, coastal lakes and sea; pelagic in lakes (Ref. 59043).  Adults occur in great schools.  They are carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans, worms, mollusks (Ref. 5980) and fish larvae (Ref. 35388) in lakes and estuaries, and on benthos in rivers (Ref. 59043).  Can usually live 1 to 2 years, rarely up to 4 years.  Some populations undergo spawning migrations into estuaries.  Mature individuals are fractional spawners, larger individuals spawn for a longer period.  Eggs are demersal, with long hairy appendages attaching them to the substrate consisting of filamentous algae, often at depths of 2 to 6 m.  Larvae are pelagic often forming schools close to the shores (Ref. 59043).