Difference Between Sardines & Pilchards

Size

• The main difference between sardines and pilchards is their size. Sardines tend to be smaller, with the smallest subspecies growing only to 13 centimeters. On the other hand, the smallest pilchard subspecies grows to be about 25 centimeters. Though sardines are usually smaller, some sardine and pilchard subspecies are similar in size, like the European pilchard and the Gilt sardine.

Habitat

• The habitats of sardine and pilchard subspecies are largely similar, though some sardine subspecies tend to survive in deeper waters than pilchard subspecies. For example, the Sardinella aurita can live up to 350 meters deep, while the deepest dwelling pilchard subspecies -- the Clupanodon pilchardus and Clupea pilchardus -- live a maximum 55 meters deep.

Coloring

• Pilchard subspecies only appear in black, green and olive tones, with silver and gold bellies, while sardines can be a wider variety of colors. Sardines can be black and green, but can also be brown, speckled and iridescent blue and green. Sardines often have darker scales on their bellies, including brown and bronze.

Locations

• Sardines and pilchards are both plentiful in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, though exact locations can vary. The Alausa pilchardus, for example, tends to be found in the more western areas of the Mediterranean, while the Clupanodon pilchardus lives further east. Several sardine subspecies populate the Western Atlantic, while others are largely migratory.