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Rough silverside (Membras gilberti) — Atherinopsidae

Rough silverside

Membras gilberti

The Rough silverside (Membras gilberti) is a saltwater fish of the family Atherinopsidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

Gilbert's silverside is a New World silverside (Atherinopsidae) from shallow coastal and estuarine water of the western Atlantic. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a slender, semi-translucent, silvery body with a shiny silver flank band, a slightly rough skin and large eyes. As a schooling fish it swims in large groups near the surface of bays and beaches and snaps at small zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Rough silverside?

The Rough silverside has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Rough silverside live?

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

How big does the Rough silverside get?

The Rough silverside grows to a maximum of about 20 cm. On average the species is around 18 cm.

Is the Rough silverside dangerous to humans?

No, the Rough silverside is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gilberts koornaarvis sourced
English name
Rough silverside sourced
Scientific name
Membras gilberti
Family
Atherinopsidae
Other names
Landia silverside verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Average length (cm)
18.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Fishing method
Te vangen met natuurlijk aas of kunstaas, afgestemd op de grootte en het leefgebied van de soort. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Membras

More from the family Atherinopsidae

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