Sardinops

Sardinops is a genus of sardines of the familyAlosidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific, East Pacific, Southeastern Atlantic, and southwestern Indian oceans. Its length is up to 40 cm (16 in). It has numerous common or vernacular names, some of which more appropriately refer to subspecies, including blue pilchard, blue-bait, South American pilchard, Chilean sardine, and Pacific sardine.

Often considered monotypic with only member as Sardinops sagax, it currently has three valid extant species:

• Sardinops melanosticta(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Japanese pilchard)
• Sardinops ocellatus(Pappe, 1853) (Southern African pilchard)
• Sardinops sagax(Jenyns, 1842)
  • Sardinops sagax caeruleus(Girard, 1854) (Californian pilchard)
  • Sardinops sagax musica(Girard, 1855)
  • Sardinops sagax neopilchardus(Steindachner, 1879) (Australian pilchard)
  • Sardinops sagax sagax(Jenyns, 1842) (Peruvian Pacific sardine)

An extinct species, , was described in 2025 from Miocene fossils found in southern Peru.