The Blueback Herring can be distinguished from the Atlantic Thread Herring and Gizzard Shad by the absence of a trailing dorsal ray filament. Compared to the Atlantic Menhaden and American Shad, the Blueback Herring exhibits a less prominently deep body and lacks additional rows of spots behind its single prominent post-gill marking. The Hickory Shad which may sometimes also lack distinct additional body spots can be distinguished from the Blueback Herring from a lack of a notched upper jaw.