Family Dorosomatidae Gill 1861 (Fig. 2L). Thread Herrings, Gizzard Shads, Sardinellas; Sardinas, Arenques, Sabaletes

Description: Body slightly elongate, fusiform, oval in cross-section; usually up to 20 cm in length; mouth usually inferior, short, ending before eye; upper jaw with a distinct median notch or cleft lower jaw flared outward; teeth absent; abdominal scutes strong; last dorsal-fin ray filamentous in most taxa; anal fin usually with 12–29, up to 38 in some taxa; usually silvery in color (Robertson & Allen 2015, Nelson et al. 2016). Distribution: Marine or freshwater; North and Central America, Indo-West Pacific Ocean (Nelson et al. 2016). Four genera and five species in Nicaraguan freshwaters.