Sardine
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Sardines or pilchards are a group of several types of small oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. The terms are not precise, and the usual meanings vary by region; for instance, to many people a "sardine" is a young European pilchard. FishBase, a comprehensive database of information about fish, lists at least six species called just "pilchard," over a dozen called just "sardine," and many more with the two basic names qualified by various adjectives.
Canned "sardines" seen in supermarkets may actually be sprats or round herrings.
Classification
- Genus Dussumeria
- * Rainbow sardine Dussumieria acuta
- * Slender rainbow sardine Dussumieria elopsoides
- Genus Escualosa
- * Slender white sardine Escualosa elongata
- * White sardine Escualosa thoracata
- Genus Sardina
- *European pilchard (true sardine) Sardina pilchardus
- Genus Sardinella
- * Round sardinella (gilt sardine, Spanish sardine) Sardinella aurita
- Genus Sardinops
- * South American pilchard (Pacific sardine, California sardine, Chilean sardine, South African sardine) Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842)
Etymology
According to [best available research], the word "Sardine" comes from the Greek word sardine or sardinos and refers to the island of Sardinia, near which sardines appear to have been prevalent since ancient times. Sardinia, in turn, is named after either the Shardana people or the town of Sardis.Sardine in popular culture
Portugal
Sardines play an important role in Portuguese culture. Having been a people who depended heavily on the sea for food and commerce, the Portuguese have a predilection for fish in their popular festivities. The most important is Saint Anthony's day, 13th June, when the biggest popular festival takes place in Lisbon, taking the people to the streets where grilled sardines are the snack of choice. Almost every place in Portugal, from Figueira da Foz to Portalegre, or from Póvoa de Varzim to Olhão has the summertime popular tradition of eating grilled sardines (sardinhas assadas).
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