Herrings (suborder Clupeoidei) are a group of small to medium-sized, soft-rayed fishes that occur in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments worldwide, especially in coastal waters and continental shelves. They typically have a laterally compressed, streamlined body covered with thin, easily shed cycloid scales, and a distinctly silvery coloration that reflects light and helps camouflage them in open water. Clupeoids possess a single dorsal fin, a forked tail, and a relatively small head with a terminal mouth adapted for feeding on plankton, including phytoplankton and small zooplankton. Many species are efficient filter feeders, using fine gill rakers to strain food from the water. Herrings are highly gregarious, forming large, coordinated schools that provide protection from predators and enable synchronized spawning migrations.