The anatomy, disposition and extension of the main cephalic sensory canals and associated structures in a clupeiform from Chile, S. bentincki, are provided for first time. Ten cephalic canals were identified: supraorbital, infraorbital, anterorbital, postorbital, preopercular, mandibular, ethmoidal, temporal, postemporal and extrascapular. Due to the scarce literature in sensory structures regarding Chilean Clupeiformes, it is necessary more studies about those features for the respective comparisons to obtain a better understanding of the systematic and comparative ethology of the sardines and to have an integral view of the cephalic sensory system of canals in this order.