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Tidewater silverside (Menidia peninsulae) — Atherinopsidae

Tidewater silverside

Menidia peninsulae
LC · Least Concern

The Tidewater silverside (Menidia peninsulae) is a brackish-water fish of the family Atherinopsidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Large groups
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The tidewater silverside is a silverside (Atherinopsidae) from the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The species is small and has a slender, translucent body with a shiny silver lengthwise band on the flank. It occurs in tidal creeks and marshes, in brackish to full sea water, and is never found in inland waters. It lives in schools and feeds on small zooplankton and small invertebrates. It is an important prey fish. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Tidewater silverside?

The Tidewater silverside has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Tidewater silverside live?

The Tidewater silverside lives in brackish water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Tidewater silverside get?

The Tidewater silverside grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Tidewater silverside dangerous to humans?

No, the Tidewater silverside is harmless to humans.

Is the Tidewater silverside edible?

The Tidewater silverside is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Getijde-koornaarvis sourced
English name
Tidewater silverside verified
Scientific name
Menidia peninsulae
Family
Atherinopsidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Large groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
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 sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Menidia

More from the family Atherinopsidae

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