Herrings are small, laterally flattened fishes represented in Iowa by two species, gizzard shad and skipjack herring. The Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae), which inhabited the lower Mississippi and was previously reported as the Ohio shad (Alosa ohiensis), is extirpated from the state.

The herrings have several distinct physical features that separate them from the other fishes: a single row of sawtooth scales called scutes occur along the belly, scaleless head, transparent eye covering that is termed an adipose eyelid, and an auxiliary process that is located at the base of the pelvic fin.

The mooneye family is represented by two species, mooneye and goldeye, in Iowa. Neither fish is very important to angling, but both contribute to the forage fish populations in larger rivers, where they are found in varying abundance.

In appearance both are quite similar to herrings, having adipose eyelids, scaleless heads, cycloid scales and a prominent axillary process. They are distinguished from herrings by the lack of scutes, the presence of a lateral line, prominent teeth and the dorsal fin is inserted directly above the base of the anal fin. Both species are seldom caught or observed by anglers.

*Mayhew, J. (editor). 1987. Iowa Fish and Fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa. 323 pp.