Common names from other countries
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Atheriniformes (Silversides) >
Atherinopsidae (Neotropical silversides) > Menidiinae
Etymology: Menidia: Greek, menoeides, -es, -es = like a half noon shape (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 3 m (Ref. 85409). Temperate; 1°C - 33°C (Ref. 35682); 60°N - 25°N, 82°W - 52°W
Western Atlantic: Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada to northeastern Florida in USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 11.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. reported age: 2.00 years (Ref. 12193)
Adults feed on copepods, mysids, shrimps, small squids and marine worms (Ref. 7251); also eggs of their own species (Ref. 5951). Preyed upon by striped bass (Ref. 7251) and bluefish (chief predators) (Ref. 5951). Oviparous, eggs are deposited on the substrate during a spawning run along the shore (Ref. 38155). Silversides are sometimes used as live food for trout (Ref. 7251).
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
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