Hilsa kelee (Cuvier 1829)

Body fairly deep and compressed, belly with distinct keel of scutes. Top of head with numerous fronto-parietal striae; upper jaw with median notch. Gillrakers about 100 to 175, those on inner arches distinctly curled; outer row of gill filaments on first arch not more than half length of gillrakers. A series of small triangular scales above axil of pectoral fin; hind part of body scales perforated. A black spot behind gill cover, usually followed by up to 10 spots along flank. Deep-bodied Sardinella species have no notch in midline of upper jaw and no spots along flank; species of Tenualosa have no fronto-parietal striae, more or less straight gillrakers on inner arches and no perforations on scales; gizzard shads (Nematalosa, Anodontostoma) have an inferior mouth.

Indo-West Pacific(probably all coasts of Indian Ocean, from Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden south to Durban and Madagascar, across the Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Thailand, Java Sea and north to Hong Kong and east to Papua New Guinea and possibly further).

To 24.4 cm standard length, usually about 15 to 18 cm.

Marine, pelagic,but entering estuaries and able to tolerate quite low salinities (7°/oo). Feeds chiefly on phytoplankton (mainly diatoms, also dinoflagellates), but also copepods, molluscan and crustacean larvae, prawns, amphipods and polychaetes (Godavari estuary, Babu Rao, 1966) . Spawns (at least in Godavari estuary) around February (Babu Rao, loc. cit.).

Apparently does not form large schools, but enters artisanal fisheries (e.g. in Godavari estuary, eastern coast of India). The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 90 111 t. The countries with the largest catches were India (90 111 t).