Northern sennet
Encyclopedia
The Northern sennet, Sphyraena borealis, is an ocean
-going species
of fish
in the Barracuda
family
, or Sphyraenidae. It was described by the American
zoologist James Ellsworth De Kay
in 1842. De Kay's description was part of several volumes
he published regarding the fauna on New York
from 1842-1849. Northern sennet are also known as Northern barracuda.
-like heads, and large jaws. The lower jaw
protrudes slightly from the upper jaw, both of which contain fang
-like teeth. They have two dorsal fin
s, which are widely separated on their backs. The anterior dorsal fin usually possesses spine
s while the posterior only has rays. Northern sennet have 24 vertebrae. They also have 5-6 spines
on their dorsal fin
s and 9 rays. Their anal fins have only 2 spines and 7-9 rays. Northern sennet can grow to be up to 46 cm in length, but they are generally considered the smallest of the barracudas -with many adults growing to less than 1 foot in length, and the greatest recorded weight being only 0.93 kg.
Northern sennet are olive
-colored, dorsally, and silvery-white ventrally. They also have several dusky blotches along their lateral line
s.
Northern sennet can only be found in the western Atlantic ocean
. Although they normally occur in subtropical climates from 43°N - 18°N latitude
s, they can be found from Canada
and Massachusetts
to southern Florida
, the Gulf of Mexico
, where they are generally reef
associated, and the eastern coast of Panama
.
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
-going species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the Barracuda
Barracuda
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species could reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, or Sphyraenidae. It was described by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
zoologist James Ellsworth De Kay
James Ellsworth De Kay
James Ellsworth De Kay was an American zoologist.-Biography:...
in 1842. De Kay's description was part of several volumes
Volume (publishing)
A volume is a single book that is part of a collection; also a bibliographic identifier for a sequence of periodicals....
he published regarding the fauna on New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1842-1849. Northern sennet are also known as Northern barracuda.
Description
Like other members of the Sphyraenidae family, Northern sennet have elongated bodies, pikeEsox
Esox is a genus of freshwater fish, the only living genus in the family Esocidae — the esocids which were endemic to North America, Europe and Eurasia during the Paleogene through present.The type species is E. lucius, the northern pike...
-like heads, and large jaws. The lower jaw
Mandible
The mandible pronunciation or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place...
protrudes slightly from the upper jaw, both of which contain fang
Fang
Fang is a mammal's canine tooth.Fang may also refer to:* A snake's poison-injecting tooth: see snake venom* Fang people, in Central Africa* Fang language, spoken by Fang people...
-like teeth. They have two dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s, which are widely separated on their backs. The anterior dorsal fin usually possesses spine
Spine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
s while the posterior only has rays. Northern sennet have 24 vertebrae. They also have 5-6 spines
Spine (zoology)
A spine is a hard, thorny or needle-like structure which occurs on various animals. Animals such as porcupines and sea urchins grow spines as a self-defense mechanism. Spines are often formed of keratin...
on their dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s and 9 rays. Their anal fins have only 2 spines and 7-9 rays. Northern sennet can grow to be up to 46 cm in length, but they are generally considered the smallest of the barracudas -with many adults growing to less than 1 foot in length, and the greatest recorded weight being only 0.93 kg.
Northern sennet are olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
-colored, dorsally, and silvery-white ventrally. They also have several dusky blotches along their lateral line
Lateral line
The lateral line is a sense organ in aquatic organisms , used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail...
s.
Distribution and habitat
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Although they normally occur in subtropical climates from 43°N - 18°N latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
s, they can be found from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to southern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, where they are generally reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
associated, and the eastern coast of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.