Jack silverside
📖 Overview
Adults inhabit inshore areas, including bays . Form schools . Demersal spawners in nearshore habitats . Oviparous, with planktonic, primarily neustonic larvae . Eggs are attached to one another by spawning substrate via adhesive filaments . Sold fresh .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 14; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 21 - 26; Vertebrae: 50 - 54. Branchiostegal rays: 5-6 .: elongated.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Jack silverside is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
The jacksmelt diet consists mostly of zooplankton, small live fish, and bottom invertebrates. Jacksmelt studies have shown omnivorous feeding habits, though Jacksmeltapes more towards carnivory. However, this dietary preference is influenced by the habitat of these fishes; for example, Jacksmelt in kelp forests tend to consume more small fish than do those in estuarine environments where zooplankton is more abundant. Their ability to adapt their feeding strategies to a changing set of resources is essential to their survival and growth in a changing ecological context. Furthermore, competition for food may affect the diet composition as well as the general health of coastal pelagic fish species.
🥚 Reproduction
Oviparous .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range ? - 30 m . Subtropical; 46°N - 22°N, 129°W - 110°W
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Jack silverside is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18.9 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 259 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Jack silverside has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Jack Silverside · jacksmelt |
| 🌍CES | gavúnovec kalifornský |
| 🇫🇷French | Athérine Grasdeau |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | ジャックスメルト |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Калифорнийская атерина |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | pejerrey mocho |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atherina storeri | Ayres | 1854 | Synonym |
| Atherinopsis sonorae | Osburn & Nichols | 1916 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 38 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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