Atherina
Atherina is a genus of fish of silverside family Atherinidae, found in the temperate and tropic zones. Up to long, they are widespread in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sea of Azov; in lagoons such as Syvash in Ukraine; and estuaries. They enter the lower reaches of the Dnieper, Southern Bug, Dniester and Danube Rivers. They can also be found in the freshwater Lake Trichonis of Greece, and there is an isolated population in the Caspian Sea.
Species
There are currently seven recognized species in this genus:Atherina boyeri A. Risso, 1810 Atherina breviceps Valenciennes, 1835 Atherina caspia Eichwald, 1831Atherina harringtonensis Goode, 1877Atherina hepsetus Linnaeus, 1758 Atherina lopeziana Rossignol & Blache, 1961 Atherina presbyter G. Cuvier, 1829Commercial importance
Species of Atherina feature in the traditional Italian, Catalan, Occitan, south-Ukrainian, Turkish, and Greek cuisines in fried form. The fish are lightly powdered with wheat flour before being dropped in hot olive oil. In Ukraine and Greece, it is commercially important.Fossil record
- Atherina austriaca - Badenian of Czechia : 13.82 - 12.8 mya
- Atherina atropatiensis - Tortonian of Iran
- Atherina cavalloi - Messinian of Italy
- Atherina gidjakensis - Serravallian of Kazakhstan
- Atherina macrocephala - Ypresian of Italy
- Atherina suchovi - Sarmatian of Moldova : 12.8 - 11.63 mya