| Argentina sphyraena | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Argentiniformes |
| Family: | Argentinidae |
| Genus: | Argentina |
| Species: | A. sphyraena |
| Binomial name | |
| Argentina sphyraena Linnaeus, 1758 | |
[1] Argentina sphyraena, the lesser silver smelt or lesser argentine, is a species of fish belonging to the family Argentinidae. [1] Argentina sphyraena was first described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. [2] A pelagic fish found in the northeastern Atlantic, from Norway to Western Sahara, and in the Mediterranean Sea between 50 and 700 m depth. [3] The species generally grows up to 20 cm total length, but 35.5 cm total length is the maximum recorded size. [3] Argentina sphyraena feeds mostly on invertebrates, including polychaetes, molluscs, and crustaceans. [3] One of the most notable characteristics of the species is that it smells of cucumbers. [3]