Herring
| Herring | |
|---|---|
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| Atlantic Herring | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Clupea Linnaeus, 1758
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| Type species | |
| Clupea harengus | |
A herring is a small teleost fish of the genus Clupea. Best-known of this family is probably the Atlantic herring. There are 15 different species of herring. When herrings migrate in the water they usually do this in large numbers; this is then called a school of herring. Like other fish, they do this for protection: see shoaling and schooling.
Herrings can be eaten. They are often smoked or pickled.
A red herring is used to describe a plot device in mystery fiction that leads the reader to a wrong solution.
