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Blue silverside (Melanorhinus cyanellus) — Atherinopsidae

Blue silverside

Melanorhinus cyanellus

The Blue silverside (Melanorhinus cyanellus) is a saltwater fish of the family Atherinopsidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–10.0 m
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

The blue silverside is a small New World silverside (Atherinopsidae) from shallow coastal water of the eastern Pacific, off Central America. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, semi-translucent body with a shiny, blue-green glowing silver flank band and large eyes. As a schooling fish it swims in large groups near the surface and snaps at small zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue silverside?

The Blue silverside has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Blue silverside live?

The Blue silverside lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Blue silverside get?

The Blue silverside grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Blue silverside dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue silverside is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Blauwe koornaarvis sourced
English name
Blue silverside sourced
Scientific name
Melanorhinus cyanellus
Family
Atherinopsidae
Other names
Blackback silverside; Blackside silverside verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Max depth (m)
10.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Atherinopsidae

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